Lok Sabha Question No. 63 (STARRED), answered on 2016-04-28
Subject: Exploration in Lignite Mines
Ministry: COAL
Asked by: RAMSINH PATALYABHAI RATHWA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COAL

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 63* TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.04.2016

## Exploitation in Lignite Mines

## *63. SHRI RAMSINH RATHWA

Will the MINISTER OF COAL be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of lignite mines planned for exploration during the Eleventh Five Year Plan along with the target set and achieved, year-wise;
- (b) the  details  of  new  lignite  mines  planned  for  exploration  during  the  Twelfth  Five Year Plan, State-wise;
- (c) whether  there  exists  a  big  gap  between  production  and  demand  of  lignite  in  the country; and
- (d) if  so,  the  manner  in  which  the  Government  is  planning  to  meet  the  demand  of lignite in the country ?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) IN THE MINISTRY OF COAL, POWER  AND NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY  ( SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL )

- (a) to (d): A statement is laid on the table of the House.

## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN THE REPLY TO THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 63 FOR 28.4.2016

- (a) :  Exploration for lignite is carried out geological block wise and target is fixed year wise. The year wise target of drilling and achievement for exploration of lignite under the Plan Scheme of Promotional Exploration during XI plan carried out by Mineral Exploration Corporation Limited (MECL) are furnished in the Table-1 below.

Table-1

(in Meters)

| Year    | Target   |   Achievement |
|---------|----------|---------------|
| 2007-08 | 67300    |       37863   |
| 2008-09 | 61100    |       54453.7 |
| 2009-10 | 69050    |       55130.4 |
| 2010-11 | 61700    |       51795.4 |
| 2011-12 | 51700    |       43737.9 |
|         | 2,50,280 |      242981   |

- (b) : The year wise target of drilling and achievement for exploration of lignite under the Plan Scheme of Promotional Exploration during XII plan carried out by MECL are furnished in the Table-2 below.

Table-2

## (in Meters)

| Year    |   Target | Achievement   |
|---------|----------|---------------|
| 2012-13 |    43650 | 59315.90      |
| 2013-14 |    62000 | 61394.10      |
| 2014-15 |    61000 | 60331.20      |
| 2015-16 |    53000 | 52241.80      |
| 2016-17 |    70000 |               |
| Total   |   289650 | 233283.00     |

- (c) : Unlike coal, gap in supply and demand for lignite is not material as most of lignite produced  is  linked  to  downstream  pithead  power  stations  and  power  stations  are synchronized with mining operations in such a way that required quantities of lignite is timely available for power generation.
- (d) :  In  most  of  the  cases,  lignite  mines  are  linked  to  downstream  power  stations. Concerted efforts are being made for timely implementation of the ongoing projects and  taking  up  new  projects.    On  completion  of  these  projects  26.3  MTPA  of additional capacity is envisaged to be added by NLC by 2025 from the existing lignite production capacity of 30.6 MTPA.  This additional lignite production would support an additional generation capacity of 2400 MW and the total lignite based generation capacity of NLC would reach 5640 MW by 2025.

Further,  Government has also allotted three lignite blocks to GMDC in August 2015 of  which  one  block  namely  PanandroExtn.  is  meant  for  power  generation  and  the other two blocks namely Bharkandam and Ghala are meant for commercial mining. In  addition,  Vastan  Lignite  block  has  been  allocated  in  principle  to  GIPCL  for underground coal gasification purposes.

- -----