NEW DELHI: The first lignite mine-cum-thermal power with 2.1-million tonne capacity at Barsingsar in Bikaner, Rajasthan, has taken off on Monday. The lignite mine would feed initially the 250-MW thermal power plant in western Rajasthan. he lignite mine was inaugurated by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi. The Neyveli Lignite Corporation Ltd (NLC) has undertaken this Rs. 1,368-crore project. Its first unit of 125 MW would be commissioned by December, whereas another unit of same capacity would be fully operational by March 2009. The company has planned to invest about Rs. 8,000 crore inlignite mine-cum-thermal power projects in Rajasthan, according to Minister of State for Coal Santosh Bagrodia.