Lok Sabha Question No. 57 (STARRED), answered on 2022-07-20
Subject: Assistance for Abandoned Coal Mines
Ministry: COAL
Asked by: Manne Srinivas Reddy, Komati Reddy Venkat Reddy

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COAL LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.57

## ANSWERED ON 20.07.2022

## ASSISTANCE FOR ABANDONED COAL MINES

## *57.   SHRI MANNE SRINIVAS REDDY SHRI KOMATI REDDY VENKAT REDDY

Will the Minister of COAL be pleased to state:-

- (a) Whether the Government has sought assistance from the World Bank and other global institutions for re-purposing its abandoned coal mines to make these environmentally stable and suitable for commercial purpose and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) Whether the Government has taken steps to make more coal available for utilities as shortages in some quarters have been forecast to be wider than initially estimated due to expectations of high power demand; and
- (c) if so, the details and the present status thereof?

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

(a) to (c) : A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

Statement referred to in answer to parts (a) to (c) of Lok Sabha Starred Question No.57 asked  by  Shri  Manne  Srinivas  Reddy  and  Shri  Komati  Reddy  Venkat  Reddy  for 20.07.2022.

(a) : Yes,  Sir.   Ministry  of  Coal  has  received  proposals  from  World  Bank  and  GIZ  (a German Development Agency) for assistance in development of India Specific Mine Closure Framework based on Just Transition Principles for closed and abandoned coal mines which also include the activity of re-purposing of such mines to make them environmentally stable and  suitable  for  commercial  purpose,  and  also  addressing  the  need  of  re-skilling  the  local persons and finding alternate livelihoods.

Subsequent to approval of Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) for grant based technical assistance proposed in the World Bank's Preliminary Project Report (PPR), Phase 1 of the World Bank Project has started with mapping of all closed and running mines, social survey, perception survey, stakeholder consultations etc. in Bokaro District, Jharkhand.

- ( b) and (c) : The coal stock available at Power Plants, monitored on daily basis in Central Electricity Authority (CEA), increased from 25.60 Million Tonnes (MT) as on 31.03.2022 to 28.06 MT as on 13.07.2022, which is sufficient for 10 days at 85% PLF (Plant Load Factor). Further, the coal stock available in mines of CIL and SCCL is 43.83 MT, as on 13.07.2022. As such, there has been no shortage of coal for power utilities. However, Government has taken  several  steps  to  ensure  sustainable  and  uninterrupted  coal  supply  to  utilities  to  meet country's power demand:-
- (i) With  constant  monitoring,  thrust  and  support,  coal  companies  have  performed exceedingly  well  in  the  first  quarter  of  current  fiscal,  resulting  in  enhanced  receipt  of domestic coal at power plants to the tune of 189 MT in comparison to receipt of 158.9 MT during same period last year, registering a growth of about 19%.
- (ii) For the current  year,  CIL  has  informed  to  dispatch  coal  to  the  tune  of  700  Million Tonnes (MT), out of which 565 MT would be provided to Power Sector. During the current year, Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) has informed to supply 57.8 MT of coal to power sector.
- (iii) For  ensuring  proper  and  timely  coal  supplies  to  Power  Plants,  weekly  subgroup meetings  are  held  by  representatives  of  Ministry  of  Coal,  Ministry  of  Power,  CEA  and Railways.  Railways are requested to give priority to rakes for supply of coal to the power generators.
- (iv) Evacuation  facilities  from  mines  to  various  despatch  points/destinations  have  been strengthened/ enhanced through dedicated Railway lines, First Mile Connectivity projects with  dedicated  sidings  and  Coal  Handling  Plants  (CHPs)/SILOs  and  building  major  coal transport roads.

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