New Delhi: Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL), a subsidiary of Coal India, has announced the initiation of commercial operations at its 5 million tonnes per annum Madhuband washery, an official release said.

The washery will help improve the local supply of washed coking coal to the steel sector and cut imports, thereby reducing the outflow of foreign exchange.

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The coking coal washery, one of the largest coking coal washeries in the country, started commercial operations on Wednesday, the Coal Ministry said in a statement.

"The commencement of commercial production at this washery reflects BCCL's consistent effort towards import substitution of coking coal in India, a crucial step considering the current challenges faced by the steel industry due to the soaring prices of imported coking coal," the ministry said.

Furthermore, this initiative aligns with the goal of import substitution by augmenting the supply of indigenous washed coking coal at competitive prices, propelling the growth of the economy, it said.

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