11 captive, commercial coal mines expected to start production this fiscal: Coal Ministry

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.

PSU Watch is now on Whatsapp Channels. Click here to join

Additional Coal Secretary asks commercial, captive coal mines to meet production targets

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.

(PSU Watch– India's Business News centre that places the spotlight on PSUs, Bureaucracy, Defence and Public Policy is now on Google News. Click here to follow. Also, join PSU Watch Channel in your Telegram. You may also follow us on Twitter here and stay updated.)