Lok Sabha Question No. 819 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-07-20
Subject: Demand and Supply of Coal
Ministry: COAL
Asked by: KRISHNAN NARAYANASAMY RAMACHANDRAN, JUGAL KISHORE SHARMA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COAL LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 819 TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.07.2017

## Demand and Supply of Coal

## 819.  SHRI K.N.RAMACHANDRAN: SHRI JUGAL KISHORE:

Will the Minister of COAL be pleased to state:

- (a) whether there is a huge gap between the demand and supply of coal in the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the quantity of coal that is being imported to bridge the gap between demand  and  supply  and  the  value  of  such  imports  during  the  last three years and the current year, year-wise;
- (d) the measures taken by the Government to bridge this gap permanently in the coming years; and
- (e) whether  the  Government  has  chalked  out  any  action  plan  to  tackle this situation and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR COAL, POWER, NEW & RENEWABLE ENERGY AND MINES

## (SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

(a)&(b): Demand of coal is higher than the current level of supply of coal in the country. During the year 2016-17, as against a total demand of coal of  838.68Mte (Prov.), the domestic supply was 647.73 Mte. Due to limited availability of low ash coal in the country, this type of coal is being imported in  the  country.  Further,  superior  quality  of  non-coking  coal  is  imported mainly by power plants that have been designed on imported coal.

The all India demand and domestic supply of coal during last three years and the current year is given below:-

| Year                                                         | 2013-14                                                      | 2014-15                                                      | 2015-16                                                      | 2016-17                                                      | 2017-18                                                      |
|--------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------|
| Total demand (Actual supply) (MT)                            | 739.34                                                       | 822.13                                                       | 836.72                                                       | 838.68                                                       | 908.40*                                                      |
| Total domestic Supply (MT)                                   | 572.48                                                       | 604.35                                                       | 632.77                                                       | 647.73 (Prov.)                                               | 159.38 @                                                     |
| *Estimated by Niti Aayog. @ Domestic Supply April-June. 2017 | *Estimated by Niti Aayog. @ Domestic Supply April-June. 2017 | *Estimated by Niti Aayog. @ Domestic Supply April-June. 2017 | *Estimated by Niti Aayog. @ Domestic Supply April-June. 2017 | *Estimated by Niti Aayog. @ Domestic Supply April-June. 2017 | *Estimated by Niti Aayog. @ Domestic Supply April-June. 2017 |

- (c): The quantity and value of import of coal during the last three years and current year is given below:-

|                                             | ( Quantity in Million tonnes and value in million Rs.)   | ( Quantity in Million tonnes and value in million Rs.)   | ( Quantity in Million tonnes and value in million Rs.)   | ( Quantity in Million tonnes and value in million Rs.)   | ( Quantity in Million tonnes and value in million Rs.)   |
|---------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------|
|                                             | 2013-14                                                  | 2014-15                                                  | 2015-16                                                  | 2016-17$                                                 | 2017-18*                                                 |
| Total import                                | 166.86                                                   | 217.78                                                   | 203.95                                                   | 190.95                                                   | 18.27                                                    |
| Value                                       | 923292                                                   | 1045066                                                  | 860338                                                   | 1002313                                                  | 115109                                                   |
| Provisional * Upto the month of April, 2017 | Provisional * Upto the month of April, 2017              | Provisional * Upto the month of April, 2017              | Provisional * Upto the month of April, 2017              | Provisional * Upto the month of April, 2017              | Provisional * Upto the month of April, 2017              |

(d)&(e): The  gap  between  demand  and  supply  of  coal  cannot  be  bridged completely  as  there  is  insufficient  domestic  availability  of  coking  coal  and  power plants designed on imported coal will continue to import coal for their production.

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