Lok Sabha Question No. 1218 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-02-09
Subject: Target for Coal Production
Ministry: COAL
Asked by: Malook Nagar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COAL LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No.1218 TO BE ANSWERED ON 09.02.2022

## Target for Coal Production

1218. SHRI MALOOK NAGAR:

Will the Minister of COAL be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has fixed any target for coal production upto the year 2025; and
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the steps taken by the Government to achieve this target?

## Answer

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

(a)to(b): A target of  all India coal production of 1.2 Billion Tonne upto the year 2023-24 has been fixed.

The following action has been taken by the Government to further enhance the production of coal in the country:

1. Commercial Auction of coal on revenue share mechanism: Auction of commercial mining on Revenue Sharing Mechanism was launched on 18.06.2020. Under this  scheme,  total  of  2  tranches  have  been  successfully  completed.  From  these  two tranches total of 28 coal mines have been successfully auctioned for which Vesting order have been signed for 27 coal mines.
2. Allowed  sale  of  excess  coal  production :  The  Ministry  of  Coal  has  amended Mineral Concession Rules, 1960 with a view to allowing sale of coal or lignite, on payment of additional amount, by the lessee of a captive mine up to 50 percent of the total coal or lignite  produced in a financial year, after meeting the requirement of the end use plant linked  with  the  mine.  Earlier  this  year,  the  Mines  and  Minerals  (Development  & Regulation) Act had been amended to this effect. This is applicable for both the private and public sector captive mines. With this amendment, the Government has paved the way for releasing  of  additional  coal  in  the  market  by  greater  utilization  of  mining  capacities  of captive  coal  and  lignite  blocks,  which  were  being  only  partly  utilized  owing  to  limited production of coal for meeting only their captive needs.
3. Rolling  auction: In  order  to  expedite  the  process  for  conducting  auction  and  to carry out more rounds of auction in a year, a mechanism of rolling auctions of coal mines has  been  planned.  Under  this  mechanism,  upon  completion  of  the  electronic  auction process of a tranche, the next tranche of auction would be launched for following mines:
- i. Mines  where  no  bid  or  only  single  bid  was  received  in  the  previous  tranche  of auction  (except  for  those  mines  where  Ministry  of  Coal  decides  to  go  for  second attempt of auction)
- ii. New mines, if any, identified by Ministry of Coal.

In the current III tranche of commercial auction, total of 48 coal mines have been rolled over from the II tranche of mines.

4. 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.
5. Coal India Limited (CIL) has envisaged a coal production programme of one Billion Tonne  from  CIL  mines.  CIL  has  taken  the  following  steps  to  achieve  the  target  of augmentation of coal production capacity.
- i. 15 Projects identified with a Capacity of about 160 MTPA (Million Tonnes per Annum) to be operated by Mine Developer cum Operator mode.
- ii. Capacity  addition  through  special  dispensation  in  Environment  Clearance  under clause 7(ii) of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) 2006
- iii. CIL  has  taken  steps  to  upgrade  the  mechanized  coal  transportation  and  loading system under 'First Mile Connectivity' projects.

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