Mumbai, June 27 :    Mumbai, June 27:  The two leading Tata group firms - Tata Power Ltd and Tata Iron & Steel Company Ltd (Tisco) plan to set up a joint venture for coal mining. The group has already identified four blocks - two each in the new states of Chattisgarh and Jharkhand. This is the first time that the Tata group has made public its interest in coal mining after the government opened up this sector to private sector participation for captive use. Tata Power needs coal as feedstock for its 67.5 MW Jojobera plant, whereas Tata Steel's feedstock requirements are for producing steel. 'However, the plans are still at a nascent stage,' a senior company official told The Telegraph. According to him, the two companies are yet to work out the cost of the entire venture. 'We have applied for necessary approvals from the central government.' Moreover, approvals from several ministries like the environment ministry and the state governments will have to be obtained at a later stage, the official added. Further, the reserves available at the four blocks are yet to be quantified, he said. Meanwhile, Tata Power plans to launch its broadband services in Mumbai by the second quarter of 2001, and has already laid 400 kms of cables for the purpose. In addition to establishing a broadband network in Mumbai, the company is evaluating plans to set up similar networks in Delhi, Pune, Hyderabad and Chennai. The company said it will connect these key cities, thereby creating a national broadband. Tata Power will adopt a scalable technology model for lighting the optic fibre link. In fact, the company is the first in south Asia to select the Dense Wave Divisioning Multiplexing (DWDM) system for lighting the optic fibre network. At present, Tata Power has an 1800 MW generating capacity and it is expected to absorb the entire growth in demand in Mumbai which is expected to grow by around 4 per cent annually. Tata Power, in its presentation to analysts, said it intends to achieve a national presence in the power sector, by undertaking captive power projects and independent power plants, which, the company said, will enable it to sustain growth in the long term. The company's foray into the exploration and marketing of oil and gas and LNG and coal comes soon after the acquisition of group company Tata Petrodyne Ltd from Tata Industries. Tata Petrodyne had formed a consortium with leading oil and gas companies such as Cairns Energy, Enron Hardy Exploration and Production, Oil and Natural gas Corporation and Hindustan Oil Exploration Company for exploration of oil and gas.