Faced with fast-depleting stocks and limited supply, the Coal Ministry has urged the Ministry of Environment and Forests to expedite green clearances and help raise domestic output.

According to CEA data (made available on July 15), 46 of the 100 thermal power plants in the country have less than seven days of coal supply.

Addressing the Lok Sabha on Thursday, Piyush Goyal, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Coal, said: “Steps have been taken by Coal India and its subsidiaries to augment coal production, which includes capacity addition from new projects … and stringent monitoring of development of coal blocks.”

Improving supply

Goyal also has independent charge of the Power and New and Renewable Energy ministries. He said coal production would be augmented in the next 1-2 years.

The Government had also constituted an Inter-Ministerial Task Force on June 13 to undertake a comprehensive review of existing coal sources and consider the feasibility of rationalising the linkages to power plants, said the Minister.

In addition, the Coal Ministry is also pushing State Governments — Odisha and Jharkhand — to expedite land acquisition and engage with Indian Railways for movement of coal.

Goyal said that India has estimated reserves of 301.56 billion tonnes of coal. Between 1950 to 2013-14, the total amount of coal extracted stood at 12,534.97 million tonnes, while in 2013-14 the amount of coal mined totalled 565.64 million tonnes.

The Minister also informed the Lok Sabha that while coal-based generation capacity increased by 46 per cent from 2009 to 2014, coal supply has increased only 22.5 per cent.

Coal-based generation capacity as of March 31, 2009 stood at 77,649 MW.

It was at 1,13,280 MW as of March 31, 2014. Coal supply in 2008-09 was 342.6 mt and stood at 419.6 mt in 2013-14.

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