Lok Sabha Question No. 428 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-12-12
Subject: Coal Reserves
Ministry: COAL
Asked by: MALLIKARJUN  KHARGE

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COAL

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 428 TO BE ANSWERED ON 12.12.2018

## Coal Reserves

## 428.    SHRI MALLIKARJUN KHARGE:

Will the MINISTER OF COAL be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is using latest techniques to explore the fresh coal reserves;
- (b) if so, the details of fresh coal reserves in the country State-wise since 2014;
- (c) whether Government has slowed down the exploration of fresh coal reserves in the country;
- (d) if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the reasons for Government not taking initiative to avail technical knowhow from the specialised agencies of other countries having proven record for coal exploration?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF RAILWAYS AND COAL ( SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

(a)&(b): Central  Mine  Planning  and  Design  Institute (CMPDI)  is  the  nodal  agency  for exploration of coal in India. It is using latest techniques to explore the fresh coal reserves like  Hi-Tech Hydrostatic  drills  for  drilling;  2D  &  3D  seismic  survey  with  Vibrosis  & interpretation  with  Paradigm  software;  satellite  imagery  for  identification  of  forest  and probable coal bearing areas & modern software such as AutoCAD, ArcGIS and Minex for preparation of Geological reports which is equivalent to industry best practices worldwide. The state wise resources as on 01.04.2018 are enclosed at Annexure-I and the upgradation & addition of resources at Annexure-II .

(c)  &  (d): No  Madam . Government  has  not  slowed  down  the  exploration  of  fresh  coal reserves in the country. Exploration of coal resources in the country is a continuous process. Every  year  about  3  to  5  billion  tonnes  of  proved  (measured)  resources  are  being  added through  fresh  exploration  to  the  coal  inventory  of  India.  The  drilling/exploration  done  by CMPDI/GSI/MECL/State Government (DGMs) in last 3 years & current year to estimate the  fresh  resources  through  promotional  (regional)  exploration  in  coal  are  given  in  below table:

| Item                                                            |   2015-16 |   2016-17 |   2017-18 |   2018-19 (Apr.'18-Nov.'18) |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------------------------|
| Promotional(Regional) drilling in Coal &Lignite (in Lakh Meter) |      1.12 |      1.05 |      1.35 |                        0.82 |

(e) CMPDI on behalf of MoC has taken initiative to avail technical knowhow and initiated to introduce Air borne survey for Regional Exploration.

******

## ANNEXURE-I

Statewise Geological Resources Of Coal In India As On 01.04.2018

|                   | Category-wise Coal Resources (in Million Tonnes)   | Category-wise Coal Resources (in Million Tonnes)   | Category-wise Coal Resources (in Million Tonnes)   | Category-wise Coal Resources (in Million Tonnes)   | Category-wise Coal Resources (in Million Tonnes)   |
|-------------------|----------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------|
| STATE             | Measured (Proved)                                  | Indicated                                          | Inferred (Exploration)                             | Inferred (Mapping)                                 | Total                                              |
| WEST BENGAL       | 14155.57                                           | 12868.81                                           | 4642.86                                            | 0.00                                               | 31667.24                                           |
| BIHAR             | 161.11                                             | 813.49                                             | 392.15                                             | 0.00                                               | 1366.75                                            |
| JHARKHAND         | 45563.36                                           | 31438.52                                           | 6149.80                                            | 0.00                                               | 83151.68                                           |
| MADHYA PRADESH    | 11958.28                                           | 12153.95                                           | 3874.67                                            | 0.00                                               | 27986.90                                           |
| CHHATTISGARH      | 20427.71                                           | 34576.26                                           | 2201.90                                            | 0.00                                               | 57205.87                                           |
| UTTAR PRADESH     | 884.04                                             | 177.76                                             | 0.00                                               | 0.00                                               | 1061.80                                            |
| MAHARASHTRA       | 7177.55                                            | 3073.55                                            | 2048.14                                            | 0.00                                               | 12299.24                                           |
| ODISHA            | 37391.10                                           | 34164.54                                           | 7739.16                                            | 0.00                                               | 79294.80                                           |
| ANDHRA PRADESH    | 0                                                  | 1149.05                                            | 431.65                                             | 0.00                                               | 1580.70                                            |
| TELANGANA         | 10474.9                                            | 8576.13                                            | 2650.92                                            | 0.00                                               | 21701.95                                           |
| SIKKIM            | 0.00                                               | 58.25                                              | 42.98                                              | 0                                                  | 101.23                                             |
| ASSAM             | 464.78                                             | 57.21                                              | 0.50                                               | 2.52                                               | 525.01                                             |
| ARUNACHAL PRADESH | 31.23                                              | 40.11                                              | 12.89                                              | 6.00                                               | 90.23                                              |
| MEGHALYA          | 89.04                                              | 16.51                                              | 27.58                                              | 443.35                                             | 576.48                                             |
| NAGALAND          | 8.76                                               | 0.00                                               | 103.64                                             | 298.05                                             | 410.45                                             |
| GRAND TOTAL       | 148787.43                                          | 139164.14                                          | 30318.84                                           | 749.92                                             | 319020.33                                          |

Source: Geological Survey of India's Inventory of Geological Resources of Indian Coal as on

1.4.18 The inventory did not take into account the mined out reserves.

## Year-Wise Upgradation / Addition of  Geological Resources of Indian Coal (As Per GSI Report on Coal Inventory)

| Sl. No.         | Coal Resources As on   | Proved (Million Tonne)   | Indicated (Million Tonne)   | Inferred (Million Tonne)   |   Total (Million Tonne) |
|-----------------|------------------------|--------------------------|-----------------------------|----------------------------|-------------------------|
| 1               | 1.4.2013               | 123182                   | 142632                      | 33101                      |                  298915 |
| 2               | 1.4.2014               | 125909                   | 142506                      | 33149                      |                  301564 |
| Resources Added | Resources Added        |                          |                             |                            |                    2649 |
| 3               | 1.4.2015               | 131614                   | 143241                      | 31740                      |                  306595 |
| Resources Added | Resources Added        |                          |                             |                            |                    5031 |
| 4 1.4.2016      |                        | 138087                   | 139151                      | 31564                      |                  308802 |
| Resources Added | Resources Added        |                          |                             |                            |                    2207 |
| 5 1.4.2017      | 143058                 |                          | 139311                      | 32780                      |                  315149 |
| Resources Added | Resources Added        |                          |                             |                            |                    6347 |
| 6 1.4.2018      | 148787                 |                          | 139164                      | 31069                      |                  319020 |
| Resources Added | Resources Added        |                          |                             |                            |                    3871 |