As per the latest figures, during current financial year till 21^st October, 2023, coal production in the country has shown a growth of 12.73% compared to the same period during last year.  The percentage of production growth of Coal India Ltd (CIL) is 11.80%, 8.45% in SCCL and that of captive & commercial mines is 20.50%.  As on 21.10.2023, total coal stock is 71.35 million tonne (MT) (including coal at mine pithead, transit and thermal power plants) as against total stock of 60.44 MT during the corresponding period of last year, which is 18.05% higher.

It is to be further noted that during this period,  the import of coal was 13.5 MT as against 20.8 MT during corresponding period of last year showing a decrease of 35% in coal for blending purposes.

After long rain spell during early October in coal producing states, production has picked up during last 10 days.  Total production from all sources during the last 10 days is over 26.57 lakh tonnes per day, exceptionally higher. During last one week, the trend of coal stocks at thermal power plant end has been reversed. Now the daily supply of coal is more than the average daily consumption and there is a trend of coal stock accretion.

The production and transportation are lower in H1 since first half of year is predominantly summer followed by monsoon.  Therefore, stock at pithead and at thermal power plants records depletion in H1 and second half of the year witness the accretion, as after the monsoon, production conditions are favourable.  During H2 the supply is higher than the consumption, therefore, during the second half of the year, there is build up in the coal stock at power plants and at mines pithead.

Despite extreme high demand of power, Ministry of Coal has maintained adequate availability of coal at all thermal power plants in the country.

Ministry of Coal has also worked out strategy for ensuring normal production of coal during festival season by way of offering higher wages to the contractual workers during the season.  This has resulted in 21 lakh tonnes coal production by CIL on Maha Astmi i.e. equal to any normal day.

Ministry of Coal has planned to ensure 40 million tonnes of closing stock at pithead plants of thermal power and more than 75 million tonnes at mine end as on 31^st March, 2024.            

Ministry of Coal is committed to ensure adequate availability of Coal and is in close coordination with Ministry of Railways & Power.

*****

BY/RKP