New Delhi: Eleven captive and commercial coal mines are expected to start production in FY2024-25, said the Ministry of Coal on Tuesday. Additional Coal Secretary M Nagaraju chaired a meeting to review the status of ‘producing and expected-to-produce’ and ‘Non-Operational’ captive and commercial coal mines on July 1. The Coal Ministry said that so far a total of 54 captive/commercial coal mines are under production. Out of this, 32 mines are allocated to the power sector, 12 to the non-regulated sector and 10 mines are allocated for the sale of coal.
The comprehensive review focused on the government’s commitment to enhancing domestic coal production. During the meeting, Nagaraju appreciated the efforts of all the allottees for increased coal production and advised them to put in further efforts to achieve the committed coal production targets of FY 2024-25. The Additional Secretary further impressed upon the allottees to take necessary steps to operationalise the coal blocks that are in advanced stages of operationalisation.
The production of coal from these mines, as on date, is 39.53 MT with an outstanding growth of 35 percent year-on-year. At least 65 non-operational coal blocks are in various stages of obtaining regulatory clearances. These blocks are distributed across nine states — Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, and West Bengal.
This high-level meeting underscores the ministry’s proactive approach in monitoring and optimising coal production to meet the nation’s energy needs. The review of both operational and non-operational mines indicates a strategic focus on maximising resources and addressing any hurdles in coal extraction.
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