Sambalpur (Odisha): Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL), a subsidiary of Coal India Limited (CIL), is set to add 35 Million Tonnes (MT) of coal production capacity with two new coal mines, said Chairman and Managing Director Uday A Kaole. He said that MCL is planning to operationalise two opencast coal mines in the Talcher coalfield in the near-term.

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Kaole said that while Subhadra Opencast Project (OCP) with a peak-rated capacity of 25 MT will start coal production within this financial year, Balbhadra OCP is expected to begin production by 2029-30. MCL currently has a sanctioned coal production capacity of approximately 300 MT.

MCL Coal Production

In FY2024-25, MCL registered the highest coal production amidst the subsidiaries of Coal India at 225 MT. This makes up 29 percent of Coal India’s total coal production of 781 MT in FY25. Out of India’s total coal output of 1,048 MT, MCL accounted for 21 percent. This is despite the fact that MCL is not the subsidiary operating the largest coal mines in terms of capacity or number. MCL operates a total of 10 coal mines as opposed to Chhattisgarh-based South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL) which operates 59 coal mines.

Balbhadra and Subhadra coal mines

The nomenclature of the two new coal mines which MCL is set to operationalise soon is interesting. Subhadra and Balabhadra are deities closely associated with Lord Jagannath, particularly within the Jagannath Temple at Puri, Odisha. Balabhadra, also known as Balarama, is the elder brother of Jagannath (a form of Krishna) and Subhadra is their younger sister.

The coal producing PSU received a PRC approval for these two coal mines in 2023.

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