Lok Sabha Question No. 1660 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-07-27
Subject: Recurring Coal Shortage
Ministry: COAL
Asked by: Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu, Sanjeev Kumar Singari, Chandra Sekhar Bellana, Chinta Anuradha, Reddeppa Nallakonda Gari

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COAL LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1660 TO BE ANSWERED ON 27.07.2022

## Recurring Coal Shortage

## 1660. SHRI LAVU SRI KRISHNA DEVARAYALU:

DR. SANJEEV KUMAR SINGARI:

SHRI CHANDRA SEKHAR BELLANA:

SHRIMATI CHINTA ANURADHA:

SHRI N. REDDEPPA:

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

- (a)  whether  the  Government  has  undertaken  any  study  to  identify  the  reasons  for recurring coal shortages;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (c) whether the Government has taken any long-term steps to tackle the recurring coal shortages;
- (d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (e)  whether  any  steps  have  been  taken  to  ensure  proper  planning  and  coordination among the ministries involved; and
- (f) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS, COAL AND MINES

## (SHRI PRALHAD JOSHI)

- (a) & (b): There is no shortage of coal in the country.  The all India coal production in the year 2021-2022 was 778.19 Million Tonne (MT) in comparison to 716.083 MT in the year 2020-2021. Further, in the current financial year (upto June'22), the country has produced 204.876 MT of coal as compared to 156.11 MT during the same period of last year with a growth of about 31%.

Coal India Limited, the largest supplier of coal in the country, has dispatched 177.59 MT of coal in the first quarter of the current fiscal achieving a growth of 10.7% over last  year  same  period.  Similarly,  Singareni  Collieries  Company  Limited  (SCCL)  has dispatched  17.31  MT  of  coal  in  the  first  quarter  of  the  current  fiscal  achieving  a growth of 3.7% over the last year same period.

- (c) & (d): The following steps have been taken to boost coal production in the country:
- A .  Coal  India Limited (CIL) has envisaged enhancing its coal production to 1 Billion Tonne  (BT)  by  the  year  2024-25  by  taking  the  following  initiatives  which  is  under implementation:
- i.  Capacity  addition  through  approval  of  new  &  expansion  Projects:  CIL  has approved 52 projects during FY 2021 & FY 2022. These projects will add additional capacity  of  about  278  MT  per  annum  and  projected  to  contribute  additional production of about 102 MT by FY 2025.
- ii.  Capacity  addition  through special dispensation in EC under clause 7(ii) of EIA 2006:  This  is  an  ongoing  process  and  CIL  is  enhancing  its  capacity  through efficiency enhancement under the special dispensation of EIA Act.
- iii. Capacity addition in smaller subsidiaries: Smaller subsidiaries like ECL & BCCL are enhancing its capacity through marginal schemes and OC patches.
- iv.  Capacity  augmentation through deployment of MDO: CIL has already initiated process  for  operating  15  numbers  of  mines  through  MDO  having  an  ultimate capacity of about 169 MT per annum. All tenders shall be awarded by March' 23.
- v. Use of  Mass Production Technology (MPT) in Under Ground (UG) mines wherever feasible: CIL is implementing the application of more and more MPT in UG mines wherever feasible to enhance its UG production capacity.
- vi.  Improving  evacuation  efficiency  &  capacity:  Through  First  Mile  Connectivity (FMC)  1  &  2,  CIL  is  in  the  process  of  eliminating  inefficient  and  polluting  road transport in favour of 44 Coal Handling Plants (CHPs), Silos through rail transport
- vii. Procurement of Heavy Earth Moving Machinery (HEMM): Order value worth Rs. 8300 Crs have been placed for procurement of HEMM in CIL in 2019-20 & 2020-21. Equipment supply has been started during 2020-21 and will be followed during the subsequent years for enhancement of departmental production capacities.

viii. Enhancement in evacuation facility from the mines to destination: CIL has also invested  heavily  in  evacuation  and  transport  facility  such  as  rail  lines,  roads  & sidings and CHPs.

ix. Out sourcing mining contracts: All outsourcing mining contracts for subsequent year  are  identified  well  in  advance  and  firm  actions  are  being  initiated  well  in advance.

- x.  IT  initiatives:  CIL  has  taken  initiatives  for  improvement  in  productivity  by enhancing efficiency of its mines with the introduction of Digitization of operation and introduction of ERP in two phases.
- B. The following actions have been taken by the Government to further increase the coal production from captive mines are as below:
- i.  Regular  Monitoring:  A  Monitoring  Committee  has  been  constituted  under  the Chairmanship  of  Secretary  (Coal)  with  Chief  Secretaries  from  respective  Host States,  Secretary  (MoEF&  CC),  Coal  Controller  Organization  (CCO)  &  CMPDIL  as members  of  the  Committee  to  conduct  regular  reviews  and  to  expedite  the development of blocks.

ii. Enactment of Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2021: The Act provides that captive mines owners (other than atomic minerals) may sell  up  to  50%  of  their  annual  mineral  (including  coal)  production  in  the  open market after meeting the requirement of the end use plant linked with the mine in such manner as may be prescribed by the Central Government and on payment of such  additional  amount.  This  step  is  an  attempt  to  stimulate  the  coal  block allocattees to commence coal production early.

iii.  Single Window Clearance: The Union government has launched Single Window Clearance portal on 11.01.2021 for the coal sector to speed up the operationalisation of  coal  mines.  It  is  an  unified  platform  that  facilitates  grant  of clearances  and  approvals  required  for  starting  a  coal  mine  in  India.  Now,  the complete  process  shall  be  facilitated  through  Single  Window  Clearance  Portal, which will map not only the relevant application formats, but also process flow for grant  of  approvals  or  clearances.  It  includes  already  operational  module  for approval  of  mining  plan  and  mine  closure  plan  in  a  time  bound  manner  and integration with Parivesh Portal, digital acceptance of objection under Section 8 (1) of Coal Bearing Areas (Acquisition & Development) Act, 1957, Consent Management System of Telangana & West Bengal. Further Ministry of Coal has added in its kitty of  SWCS  Project  Information  &  Management  Module  which  was  launched  on 14.06.2022 which is likely to facilitate project proponent as well as Ministry and State officials in monitoring and expeditious implementation of coal mines.

(e) & (f): 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, CEA, CIL and 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. Coal dispatch from the captive coal blocks is also being monitored regularly.

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  coopted as Special Invitees as and when required by the IMC.

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