Lok Sabha Question No. 3751 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-12-11
Subject: Performance of Coal Mines
Ministry: COAL
Asked by: Hemant Patil, Shrirang Appa Barne, Vinayak Bhaurao Raut, Ratansinh Magansinh Rathod, Heena Vijaykumar Gavit

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COAL

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3751 TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.12.2019

## Performance of Coal Mines

## 3751. SHRI HEMANT SRIRAM PATIL;

SHRI SHRIRANG APPA BARNE:

SHRI VINAYAK RAUT:

SHRI RATANSING MAGANSINH RATHOD:

DR. HEENA GAVIT:

Will the MINISTER OF COAL be pleased to state :

- (a) whether the Government has assessed the performance and profitability of coal mines in the country and if so, the names of coal mines which are running in profit/losses;
- (b) the details of the coal mines which are closed down or likely to be closed down after completion of the extraction work;
- (c) whether the Government pays adequate compensation to workers when coal mines are closed, if so, the quantum of compensation paid to workers during  each of the last three years and the current year;
- (d) the steps taken by the Government to make good/compensate the losses/shortages in the coal production;
- (e)       whether the Government has formulated any scheme for the exploration and operation of small/closed/abandoned coal mines and new mining regions; and
- (f) if  so,  the  details  thereof  alongwith  the  other  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to increase domestic coal production and reduce the import of coal?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS, COAL AND MINES ( SHRI PRALHAD JOSHI)

(a) CIL has informed that during the year 2018-19, cost sheets were prepared for 420 no. of units, which are termed as 'cost units' as per Cost Accounting Record Rules. Out of 420 cost units, 199 units are underground and 221 are opencast.  The performance of 420 cost units as stated above are as follows:

| Particulars         |   Underground |   Opencast |   Total |
|---------------------|---------------|------------|---------|
| Profit making Mines |             4 |        124 |     128 |
| Loss Making mines   |           195 |         97 |     292 |
| Total               |           199 |        221 |     420 |

SCCL operates 49 mines (30 underground and 19 opencast) in the year 2018-19. 27 underground  mines  incurred  loss  during  2018-19  and  remaining  3  underground  mines  are under initial stage of development. All the 19 opencast mines registered profit.

(b)   Following mines are likely to be closed down after completion of the extraction work in the FY 19-20:

| Company   |   Sl. No. | Name of the mine              |
|-----------|-----------|-------------------------------|
| SECL      |         1 | Bartunga Hill UG Mine         |
|           |         2 | Pinoura UG Mine               |
|           |         3 | Balarampur UG Mine            |
|           |         4 | Bisrampur OC                  |
| WCL       |         1 | Jharna (Ghorawari Incline) UG |
|           |         2 | Pauni OC                      |
| ECL       |         1 | Rajpura OC                    |
|           |         2 | Sodepur (R) UG                |

- (c)          In  case  of  closure  of  coal  mines,  workers  are  gainfully  deployed  in  other  coal  mines situated nearby, in their existing capacity and grade. Hence matter of payment of  compensation does not arise.
- (d)       In  order  to  compensate  the  losses/shortages  in  the  coal  production,  coal  companies have identified  new  projects  to  enhance  domestic  coal  production.  In  this  matter,  CIL  has identified 55 new coal projects which will reduce demand-supply gap of coal.
- (e)  &  (f)     Ministry  of  Coal,  Govt.  of  India  funds  two  schemes  for  the  exploration  of  coal resources i.e. Regional Exploration & Detailed Drilling.

In the Scheme of Regional Exploration, a budget provision of Rs 120 Crore has been made for 2019-20  against  the  expenditure  of  Rs  100.74  Crore  in  2018-19.  Similarly  in  case  of  detailed drilling in 2019-20, Rs 817 Crore has been provided against the expenditure of Rs. 346.91 Crore in 2018-19.

Further, to augment coal production, coal companies have taken following steps:

- i. Coal companies have planned and implemented higher capacity mega mines (more than 10 MTY capacity) with high mechanization.
- ii. Coal companies have expanded their existing and on-going projects for enhancing their capacities through approval of revised project reports.
- iii. Surface  Miners  have  been  introduced  in  opencast  mines  in  a  big  way  to  improve operational efficiency & to cater environmental needs. During 2018-19, in CIL, around 50% of the opencast coal production was through Surface Miners.
- iv. In order to further improve the operational efficiency, IT enabled Operator Independent Truck  Dispatch  System  (OITDS)  has  been  introduced  in  11  nos.  of  mines  of  CIL.  IT enabled  RFID  system  of  monitoring  devices  have  been  introduced  to  enable  real  time monitoring of the movement of vehicles which also facilitate corrective measures against unsafe operations and acts.
- v. In underground mines, introduction of mechanized Mass Production Technology has been done. At present 2 Mines are being worked with Powered Support Longwall technology and 10 mines are being worked with 16 nos of Continuous Miner technology.
- vi. For  rapid  coal  evacuation,  19  nos.  of  silos  with  rapid  loading  systems  having  existing capacity of 151 MTY are in operation.

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