Lok Sabha Question No. 1375 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-12-14
Subject: Coal Supply
Ministry: COAL
Asked by: Kani K. Navas

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COAL LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1375

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 14.12.2022

## Coal Supply

## 1375. SHRI K. NAVASKANI:

## Will the Minister of COAL be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the country frequently faces coal supply crisis;
- (b) if so, the details of the remedial steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government keeping in view the fact that Coal India Ltd. (CIL) has not been able to keep pace with rising demand;
- (c) whether the Government has taken cognizance of the fact that coal demand cannot be ignored for at least three decades; and
- (d) if so, the initiatives taken/being taken by the Government to improve coal mining efficiency and production?

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

(a) & (b): There is no coal shortage in the country. The all India coal production in  the  year  2022-2023  (upto  November'22)  was  524.2  Million  Tonne  (MT) (provisional) in comparison to 448.1 MT during the same period of last year with a growth of about 17%. Similarly, the supply/dispatch of coal in the country during 2022-2023 (upto November'22) was 558.24 MT (provisional) in comparison to 521.08 MT during the same period of last year with a growth of about 7.33 %.

To meet the increased demand of power sector during the year 2022-23, CIL has dispatched 380.58 MT (upto November'22) (Provisional) in comparison to 339.8 Million tonnes during the same period of last year with a growth of about 12% .

To address the issues of coal supplies to power sector, an Inter-Ministerial Sub Group comprising of representatives from Ministries of Power, Ministry of Coal, Ministry of Railways, Central Electricity Authority (CEA), Coal India Limited (CIL) and Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) meet regularly to  take various operational decisions to enhance supply of coal to thermal power plants as well as for meeting any contingent situations relating to Power Sector including to alleviate critical coal stock position in power plants. In addition to this, an Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) has been constituted comprising  of Chairman,  Railway  Board,  Secretary, Ministry of Coal, Secretary, Ministry of  Environment, Forest  and  Climate  Change  and Secretary,  Ministry  of  Power  to  monitor  augmentation  of  coal  supply  and power generation capacity. Secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy and Chairperson, CEA are co-opted as Special Invitees as and when required by the IMC.  Coal dispatch from the captive coal blocks is also being monitored regularly.

- (c) & (d): Yes. As coal is the major source of energy in India, the demand will continue with likely peak between 2030-2035. Accordingly, following measures are being taken by the Government to improve the availability of coal in the country:
- i. Enhanced coal production from mines of Coal India Ltd (CIL) - both in capacity of existing mines  as  well  as  operationalization  of  new mines/projects.
- ii. Enhanced production from commercial coal mines.
- iii. Enactment  of  Mines  and  Minerals  (Development  and  Regulation) Amendment Act, 2021  for enabling captive mines owners (other than atomic minerals) to sell up to 50% of their annual mineral (including coal) production in the open market after meeting the requirement of the end use plant.
- iv. Overall improvement of coal logistics by way of First Mile Connectivity, Rail Projects and integrated logistics movement of coal.
- v. Induction of enhanced Mass Production Technologies and enhancing efficiency  of  mines  with  introduction  of  Digitization  of  operation  and introduction of ERP.
- vi. Regular monitoring by Ministry of Coal.
- vii. Single Window Clearance system for facilitation of clearances for early operationalization of coal mines.

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