Lok Sabha Question No. 1628 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-07-27
Subject: Coal Demands of Power Sector
Ministry: COAL
Asked by: Sumedhanand Saraswati, Manoj Rajoria, Ranjeeta Koli

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COAL

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1628 TO BE ANSWERED ON 27.07.2022

## Coal Demands of Power Sector

## †1628. SHRI SUMEDHANAND SARASWATI:

DR. MANOJ RAJORIA:

SHRIMATI RANJEETA KOLI:

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

- (a) whether the Coal India Limited (CIL) is prepared to meet the increasing coal demands of the power sector;
- (b)  if  so,  whether  CIL  is  focussing  on  augmenting  the  production  to  increase supply of coal to coal based power plants;
- (c) whether a large percentage of coal based generation of power in the country depends on the supply of coal by the CIL and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether there is enough coal reserves in the coal mines of the CIL and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the efforts being made by the Government to ensure enough coal supply to the coal based power plants?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS, COAL AND MINES

## (SHRI PRALHAD JOSHI)

- (a) & (b): Yes Sir. In the year 2022-23, CIL has planned to dispatch coal to the tune of 700 Million tonnes (MT), out of which 565 MT is earmarked for Power Sector. Out of the above target, CIL has dispatched 152.49 MT of coal to Power Sector in the first quarter of the current year achieving a growth of 19% over last year.

CIL  has  envisaged  to  enhance  its  production  to  reach  the  level  of  1  Billion Tonnes (BT) coal by the year 2024-25 from its current production level of about 600 MT in order to meet the demand of coal indigenously and to eliminate nonessential import of coal in the country.

CIL has already identified all resources required that will contribute to its 1 BT production  plan  and  its  related  issues/enablers  like  requirement  of  EC/FC, land, evacuation constraints etc.

(c): Most of the requirement of coal in the country is met through indigenous production/supply  and  CIL  contributes  more  than  80%  of  the  indigenous production/supply in the country including supply to power sectors. (d): Yes,  there  is  enough  coal  reserves  in  the  country  as  well  as  in  the  coal mines of CIL. As  per  Geological  Survey  of  India,  as  on  01.04.2021,  the  in-situ  geological resources of coal in India upto a depth of 1200m is 352.16 BT which includes proven, indicated and inferred resources. Out of this, the proven resources are 177.18 BT. As per UNFC Classification of CIL Blocks as on 01.04.2021, a total of 62.66 BT of  geological  resources  have  been  projectized  in  CIL  blocks  with  a  total mineable resource of 40.63 BT and total balance mineable resource of 29.96 BT. The estimated coal resources in the blocks of Coal India command area is about 173 BT.

(e): 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.  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.

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