With the achievement of around 900 million tonne of domestic coal production so far, the country is confident of achieving the 1 billion tonne target of coal output by the end of financial year 2023-24, Union Minister for Coal and Mines, Pralhad Joshi said on Thursday.
The coal ministry further expects the country’s coal stock with the coal-based thermal power plants to go up to 45 million tonne by the end of March, coal secretary Amrit Lal Meena said while addressing the media. As of March 7, the domestic coal based power plants maintain coal stocks of 43.5 million tonne, he said.
Additionally, the government expects the total coal stock available at all locations – including coal companies and power plants – to increase to 155 million tonne by the end of this fiscal year from the current available stock of 135 million tonne. The coal stock available with the country’s coal companies presently stands at around 85 million tonne.
“This maybe the last opportunity to get hostages home,” says Blinken as he pushes for ceasefire in Gaza Somanathan named next Cabinet secy: Moving from being a deft manager of govt finances to key Cabinet aide From Piggy Banks to Digital Vaults: The Evolution of Savings and the Future of Banking Critical mineral auctions come a cropper Come from Sports betting site
The country has achieved 900 million tonnes of domestic coal production as of March 6, surpassing last year’s coal output of 893.19 million tonne, 27 days in advance, the government said. Come from Sports betting site VPbet
India’s share of coal imports in the total consumption has come down to 19% in the year 2023-24 from 26% in 2019, as per the government. In the first ten months of the current financial year, the country has saved forex amounting to Rs 82,000 crore, Meena said.
Moreover, with the improved availability of rakes for coal evacuation, the government is optimistic of stopping its imports of thermal coal by FY26.
“I reviewed the dedicated rail corridor and the eastern freight railway; they are very confident that our (NCL, BCCL, SCL, CCL) production capacity seems to be less than the railway evacuation capacity,” Meena said. “The declining trend of coal import will continue.”
The government informed that the Eastern dedicated freight corridor is able to offer 150 rakes per day to the coal ministry for successful evacuation of coal.
Along with its plans to reduce thermal coal imports, the government is also seeking to produce 105 million tonne of coking coal by 2030 with additional 25-35 million tonne output coming from the blocks allocated through auction under the Mission Coking Coal.
“Sometimes we give coking coal to thermal plants because of shortage, we are also going to stop that because we will make thermal coal available,” the Minister said.
The ministry also approved a policy in this regard to help the steel industry in upgrading their washeries and assuring coal supply for the purpose, Meena said.
“And then we are going to set up new washeries. 10 washeries will be set up both in BCCL and CCL and they will supply coal to the steel sector,” said M. Nagaraju, additional secretary in the coal ministry.