Lok Sabha Question No. 1658 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-07-27
Subject: Adequate Supply of Coal
Ministry: COAL
Asked by: Balubhau (Alias Suresh Narayan) Dhanorkar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF COAL LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1658

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 27.07.2022

## Adequate Supply of Coal

## 1658. SHRI BALUBHAU ALIAS SURESH NARAYAN DHANORKAR:

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

- (a) the details of coal supply and consumption in the country, year-wise;
- (b) whether the country is currently facing a coal shortage and if so, the details thereof;
- (c)  whether  the  Coal  Ministry  has  requested  the  Ministry  of  Environment, Forest  and  Climate  Change  to  allow  coal  mines  with  existing  environmental clearances to increase their production by up to 40%, to hike production by up to 50% without a fresh environmental impact assessment or public consultation;
- (d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (e) the other steps being taken by the Government  to ensure adequate supply of coal?

## ANSWER

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

(a): Details  of  coal  supply  and  consumption  in  the  country  for  the  last  five years are as under:

| (Figure in Million Tonnes)   | (Figure in Million Tonnes)   | (Figure in Million Tonnes)   | (Figure in Million Tonnes)   | (Figure in Million Tonnes)   | (Figure in Million Tonnes)   |
|------------------------------|------------------------------|------------------------------|------------------------------|------------------------------|------------------------------|
| Year                         | 2017-18                      | 2018-19                      | 2019-20                      | 2020-21                      | 2021-22 (Provisional)        |
| Total Consumption/Demand     | 898.25                       | 968.14                       | 955.72                       | 906.13                       | 1027.92                      |
| Total Domestic coal Supply   | 690.00                       | 732.79                       | 707.18                       | 690.88                       | 818.99                       |

(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%.

(c) & (d): As an immediate measure to enhance the coal production, Ministry of Coal has requested the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to grant of EC upto 50% at a time instead of phased system under clause 7(ii) of EIA,  2006  with  no  increase  in  land  area  and  no  public  consultation  as  the same has already been done at the time of original grant.

(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.

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 last year same period.

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