Lok Sabha Question No. 855 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-12-20
Subject: Coal Production
Ministry: COAL
Asked by: MALLIKARJUN  KHARGE

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COAL LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 855 TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.12.2017

## Coal Production

## 855. SHRI MALIKARJUN KHARGE:

Will the Minister of COAL be pleased to state:

- (a) the amount of total coal produced during the last three years;
- (b) the quantum of coking coal produced in the country through public coal companies during the last three years;
- (c) the amount of coking coal imported since 2012, year-wise;
- (d) the  reasons  for  heavy  importation  and  the  steps  taken  to  increase  the domestic production of coking coal; and
- (e) the  reasons  for  Coal  India  Ltd.  and  other  State-owned  companies  have not been successful in acquiring a stake in foreign coking coal mines?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF COAL IN THE MINISTRY OF COAL AND RAILWAYS (SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

(a): All India coal production during the last three years i.e. 2014-15, 201516 & 2016-17 was 609.18 MT, 639.23 MT and 659.27 MT respectively.

(b): As  per  the  provisional  Coal  Statistics  published  by  Coal  Controller Organization,  indigenous coking coal production through public companies in the country during the last three years i.e. 2014-15, 2015-16 and 201617 was 51.01MT, 54.66 MT and 55.35 MT respectively.

(c): Import of coking coal during the year 2012-13 to 2016-17 and current year 2017-18 upto September, 2017 is as under.

| (Quantity in Million Tonnes )       | (Quantity in Million Tonnes )   |
|-------------------------------------|---------------------------------|
| Year                                | Coking                          |
| 2012-13                             | 35.56                           |
| 2013-14                             | 36.87                           |
| 2014-15                             | 43.71                           |
| 2015-16                             | 43.56                           |
| 2016-17                             | 41.64                           |
| 2017-18 (Prov.) Upto September 2017 | 22.61                           |

(d): The entire demand of coking coal is not met indigenously as the supply of high quality coal/ coking coal (low-ash-coal) in the country is limited. As per  the  current  import  policy,  coal  is  kept  under  Open  General  License (OGL) and

consumers  are  free  to  import  coal  from  the  source  of  their  choice  as  per their contractual prices on payment of applicable duty. Further, Government has allocated captive blocks to various companies which would also add to domestic availability. Similarly, six more coking coal blocks are going to be put on offer. These  blocks  would  also  help augmenting  coking coal  production  in  line  with growing demand.

(e): Indian consumers import coking coal mainly from Australia. CIL Board in its 333rd meeting held on 21.09.16, advised to explore the possibilities of acquiring  coal  assets  abroad.  However,  since  then,  very  few  prospective coking  coal  assets  in  foreign  countries  have  come  up  for  sale.  CIL  is pursuing  available  opportunities  for  buying  equity  stakes  in  coking  coal mines abroad.

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