New Delhi: As per the latest figures, coal production in the country until October 21 during the current financial year has shown a growth of 12.73 percent compared to the same period during the last year, said the Ministry of Coal on Monday. The percentage of production growth of Coal India Ltd (CIL) is 11.80 percent, 8.45 percent in SCCL and that of captive and commercial mines is 20.50 percent. As on October 21, the total coal stock is 71.35 million tonnes (MT) (including coal at mine pithead, transit and thermal power plants) as against the total stock of 60.44 MT during the corresponding period of the last year, which is 18.05 percent higher.
The Coal Ministry said that during this period, the import of coal was 13.5 MT as against 20.8 MT during the corresponding period of the last year, showing a decrease of 35 percent in coal for blending purposes.
After a long rain spell during early October in coal-producing states, coal production has picked up during the last 10 days. The total production from all sources during the last 10 days is over 26.57 lakh tonnes per day, exceptionally higher, said the Coal Ministry.
During the last one week, the trend of coal stocks at thermal power plants has been reversed. Now the daily supply of coal is more than the average daily consumption and there is a trend of coal stock accretion.
The production and transportation are lower in H1 since the first half of the year is predominantly summer followed by monsoon. Therefore, stock at pithead and at thermal power plants records depletion in H1 and the second half of the year witness the accretion, as after the monsoon, production conditions are favourable. During H2, the supply is higher than the consumption, therefore, during the second half of the year, there is build-up in the coal stock at power plants and at mines pithead.
Despite extreme high demand of power, the Ministry of Coal has maintained adequate availability of coal at all thermal power plants in the country, said the statement.
“Ministry of Coal has also worked out strategy for ensuring normal production of coal during festival season by way of offering higher wages to the contractual workers during the season. This has resulted in 21 lakh tonnes coal production by CIL on Maha Astmi i.e. equal to any normal day,” the statement said.
The Ministry of Coal has planned to ensure 40 million tonnes of closing stock at pithead plants of thermal power and more than 75 million tonnes at mine end as on March 31, 2024.
“The Ministry of Coal is committed to ensure adequate availability of coal and is in close coordination with Ministry of Railways & Power,” said the statement.