Lok Sabha Question No. 3171 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-19
Subject: Import of Coal
Ministry: COAL
Asked by: Shri Rajesh Ranjan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COAL LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No.3171 TO BE ANSWERED ON 19.03.2025

## Import of Coal

## 3171. SHRI RAJESH RANJAN:

Will the Minister of Coal be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the public and private sector companies of the country are importing coal;
- (b) if so, the quantity and monetary value of the coal imported by the public and private Sector companies during the last three years;
- (c) whether it is a fact that the calorific value of imported coal, especially anthracite, subbituminous and lignite coal especially anthracite, sub-bituminous and lignite coal is low and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether some private companies are importing low-quality coal and selling it to the Government or Government undertakings/institutions at high price and if so, the details thereof;
- (e) whether the Government has established any standard protocols or regulatory bodies to prevent the import of low-quality coal; and
- (f) if so, the details thereof?

## Answer

## MINISTER OF COAL AND MINES (SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY)

(a)&(b): Yes, Sir. The details of quantity and value of imported coal during the last three years are given below: -

| (Quantity in Million Tonne & Value in Rs. in Crore)   | (Quantity in Million Tonne & Value in Rs. in Crore)   | (Quantity in Million Tonne & Value in Rs. in Crore)   | (Quantity in Million Tonne & Value in Rs. in Crore)   | (Quantity in Million Tonne & Value in Rs. in Crore)   | (Quantity in Million Tonne & Value in Rs. in Crore)   | (Quantity in Million Tonne & Value in Rs. in Crore)   |
|-------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------|
| Year                                                  | Coking Coal                                           | Coking Coal                                           | Non-Coking Coal                                       | Non-Coking Coal                                       | Total Coal                                            | Total Coal                                            |
| Year                                                  | Quantity                                              | Value                                                 | Rs.Quantity                                           | Value                                                 | Rs.Quantity                                           | Value Rs.                                             |
| 2021-22                                               |                                                       | 57.12102790.83                                        |                                                       | 151.50125993.289                                      |                                                       | 208.63228784.12                                       |
| 2022-23                                               |                                                       | 56.05153839.97                                        | 181.62                                                | 229744.40                                             |                                                       | 237.67383584.38                                       |
| 2023-24                                               |                                                       | 58.81133000.36                                        | 205.72                                                | 177215.09                                             |                                                       | 264.53310215.45                                       |

Further,  some  State  Generating  Companies  (Gencos)  &  Independent  Power  Producers (IPPs) were supplied coal imported by CIL under the Ministry of Power (MoP) mandate dated 28.04.2022 & Ministry of Coal (MoC) direction dated 31.05.2022, during the period from Sept' 22 to Jan' 23, company-wise details of which are as under:

(Quantity in Tonne; Value in Rs. in crore)

|    | S.N.Name of Coal Importer                              | Category   | Quantity of Imported Coal Purchased   |   Monetary Value |
|----|--------------------------------------------------------|------------|---------------------------------------|------------------|
|  1 | KSK Mahanadi                                           | Private    | 93,253.03                             |           127.49 |
|  2 | Jindal India Thermal Power Ltd                         | Private    | 43,276.20                             |            62.29 |
|  3 | RattanIndia Power                                      | Private    | 11,590.86                             |            14.65 |
|  4 | Sai Wardha                                             | Private    | 22,422.22                             |            30.99 |
|  5 | Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Ltd | Public     | 69,907.00                             |           100.59 |
|  6 | Lanco Amarkantak                                       | Private    | 10,408.69                             |            14.42 |

|   7 | Karnataka Power Corporation Ltd       | Public   | 32,367.86   |   41.92 |
|-----|---------------------------------------|----------|-------------|---------|
|   8 | Dhariwal Infrastructure               | Private  | 38,341.90   |   53.45 |
|   9 | Adhunik Power & Natural Resources Ltd | Private  | 30,916.52   |   47.68 |

NLC Tamil Nadu Power Ltd. (NTPL), a subsidiary company of NLC India Ltd. (NLCIL, operates  2x500  MW  Thermal  Power  station  in  Tuticorin,  Tamil  Nadu.  It  is  currently procuring imported coal. The details of Coal imported by NLCIL during last three years are as under:

|   Sr. No Period Quantity in Metric TonsGCV in Kcal/kgAmount in INR |         |          |          |   (Crores) |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------|---------|----------|----------|------------|
|                                                                  1 | 2022-23 | 6,61,493 | 5800 ARB |     918.46 |
|                                                                  2 | 2023-24 | 3,65,896 | 5800 ARB |     290.88 |
|                                                                  3 | 2024-25 | 8,26,440 | 5800 ARB |     788.41 |

NTPC has informed that the average GCV of Imported coal is 5000 Kcal/kg. The NTPC placed  Country  Neutral  contracts  for  the  imported  steam  coal  through  international competitive bidding process. Supplier sourced coal from outside India as per specification defined in the contracts, however, majority of coal is being supplied from Indonesia and some of the coal from Australia.

(c): As coal is kept under the Open General License (OGL), the geological characteristics (anthracite, sub-bituminous and lignite etc.) of coal imported in the country is not known. In so far as coal imported by Coal India Limited (CIL) as above is concerned, the Purchase Order placed with the Vendor mentioned the following quality specifications:

| Parameters                      | UNIT           | Specified Range                                                                                                      |
|---------------------------------|----------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Total Moisture (ARB) + Ash(ADB) | %              | Upto 40%                                                                                                             |
| Gross Calorific Value (ARB)     | Kcal/ Kg       | Not less than 4700                                                                                                   |
| Sulphur (ADB)                   | %              | Upto 1.00% Max                                                                                                       |
| Size                            | MM             | Upto 50mm However, size of coal less than 2.36 mm shall not be more than 10% of the quantity received at power plant |
| Fixed Carbon(ADB)               | %              | 30-50% Typical                                                                                                       |
| Volatile Matter(ADB)            | %              | 25%-45%                                                                                                              |
| HGI                             | -              | 45-60                                                                                                                |
| IDT under reducing atmosphere   | Deg Centigrade | 1100 Minimum                                                                                                         |
| Extraneous Material             | MT             | Nil                                                                                                                  |

NTPL is procuring HGCV import coal having GCV 5800 kcal/kg for blending purposes only with low domestic coal of GCV 3250 kcal/kg in the ratio of 30:70 respectively.

(d): As per the current import policy, coal is kept under the Open General License (OGL) and consumers are free to import coal from the source of their choice as per their contractual prices on payment of applicable duties. Ministry of Coal has no role in any imported Fuel Supply Contract between the parties and its execution.

(e)&(f): Does not arise in view of (d) above.