Coal production registers 11 percent growth during August, 2013

New Delhi: Ministry of Coal is making concerted efforts to increase the availability of coal in the country. In spite of various constraints, Coal India Limited has produced 31.67 million tonnes in the month of August, 2013 registering a growth of about 11% over the corresponding period of the previous year. This was informed by Union Minister of Coal, Shri Sriprakash Jaiswal to the member of Parliamentary Consultative Committee attached to the Ministry here today. He said that during the period April-august, 2013, the cumulative coal production has been 167.32 million tonnes registering a growth of about 3% over the corresponding period of the previous year. The off-take to the power sector at 25.9 million tonnes in August 2013 from CIL indicates a growth of 5.5% over the corresponding period of the previous year. Similarly the cumulative off-take to the power sector during the period April-August 2013 at 140.6 million tonnes from CIL indicates a growth of 6.6% over the corresponding period of the previous year. Coal Companies are putting their best of efforts in meeting the requirements of different sectors of the economy, he asserted.

Shri Jaiswal said that the exploration is the critical activity in enhancing our coal reserve base. With the efforts of the various exploration agencies in the country, the geological coal resources have reached a level of 299 billion tonnes and lignite resources 43 billion tonnes. However, only about 41% of coal resources and 14% of lignite resources are in the proved category and remaining need to be brought into proved category. He said that the Government is laying emphasis to bring more and more area in proven category so that mining could be taken up in bigger way.

The Minister informed to the members that on amendment of the provisions of MMDR Act, a set of new rules had been formulated for offering the coal blocks through bidding. While it was agreed to offer regionally explored blocks to the Government Companies, only coal blocks explored in detail have been proposed to be offered to private sector. This has enhanced the requirement for exploration in these blocks for which CMPDIL has been entrusted with the job. CMPDIL is carrying out this work both through departmental resources as well as outsourcing.

Participating in the discussion, Members of Parliament suggested that strict monitoring norms should be evolved to regulate activities of outsourced agencies. They complained that most of these agencies violet standard norms and do not provide employment to locals. They also suggested that the social welfare activities should be taken up in bigger way in the interest of local people. The meeting was attended by S/Shri Hemant Biswal, Ganesh Singh, Pshupatenath Singh, Yaswant Sinha, Pradeep Bhattachrya, Sanjiv Kumar, Om Prakash Yadav, Shri Bhishma Shankar Tiwari, Devi Dutt, Ravindra Kumar Pandey.