Coal Production Rises 8.5 Per Cent To 73 MT In April, Despatch Up 11.66 Per Cent: Coal Ministry

Coal ministry data showed that India achieved 94.89 per cent of its targeted coal production for April 2023, which stood at 77.08 MT

India's coal production increased by 8.5 per cent during April 2023, reaching 73.14 million tonnes (MT), as per data from the Ministry of Coal, reported PTI. Comparatively, in April 2022, the country produced 67.20 MT of coal. Coal ministry data showed that India achieved 94.89 per cent of its targeted coal production for April 2023, which stood at 77.08 MT, the report further said. 

Coal India along with its subsidiaries produced 57.57 MT of coal, up 7.67 per cent over 53.47 MT in April 2022. The coal production of Singareni Collieries Company Ltd (SCCL) rose by 4.77 per cent to 5.57 MT, from 5.32 MT in the same month a year ago.

While the production from other captive mines was at 10 MT, against 8.41 MT in April 2022, registering a rise of 18.93 per cent. Against the 82.26 MT target for April 2023, India's coal despatch was at 80.35 MT, up 11.66 per cent from 71.96 MT during April 2022.

According to the report, the coal despatch to power utilities rose by 6.66 per cent to 65.41 MT last month, as compared to 61.33 MT in April last year. The Coal Ministry has implemented measures to enhance rail connectivity infrastructure for major mines under the PM Gati Shakti initiative. This development aims to facilitate the faster evacuation of coal, contributing to improved efficiency and productivity in the sector, reported CNBC TV-18.

India, positioned among the world's leading coal-producing nations, still relies on coal imports to meet certain portions of its requirements. Despite being a significant coal producer, India is also one of the largest consumers of this fossil fuel. The country's dependence on imports is particularly notable for coking coal, a vital raw material for steel production, as it is not adequately available domestically.

India produced just 4.89 MT of coking coal in April, 18.07 per cent higher from over 4.14 MT in April 2022, the PTI report said. With an objective to enhance coal availability, the coal ministry has offered 103 coal/lignite blocks for auction under the 7th round of auction, and 29 agreements have been signed for mines, which were auctioned in the 6th round of auction.