Pralhad Joshi assures adequate coal supply amid shortage fears

Amid concerns of a persisting supply crunch of coal in the country, Union Minister for Coal, Pralhad Joshi on Monday told the Parliament that there is no shortage of coal in the country.

In a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha, he cited data from the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) and said the coal stock at power plants in the country was 25.14 million tonne as on March 13, 2022.

"Coal stock at Coal India Limited (CIL) and Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) pithead as on 13th March, 2022 is 47.95 million tonne and 4.49 million tonne respectively. In 2021-22 (up to 10th March, 2022), Coal India (CIL) has dispatched 506.29 MT, with a 23% growth over last year," the minister said.

Similarly, SCCL and captive coal blocks have dispatched 50.38 million tonne and 77.5 million tonne coal to power sector up to March 10, which is 34.2% and 40% more than the same period of last year, he added.

Further, to address the issues of coal supplies to power sector, Joshi told the Parliament that an inter-ministerial sub group comprising of representatives from ministries of power, coal, railways, CEA, Coal India Limited (CIL) and Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) meet regularly to take various operational decisions to enhance supply of coal to thermal power plants as well as for meeting any contingent situations relating to power sector including to alleviate critical coal stock position in power plants.

CEA has also issued revised coal stocking norms, which mandates the power plants to maintain sufficient stock at all times to meet any contingent situation, the minister said.

The minister's statements aimed at allaying supply concerns come at a time when several industrial sectors have raised alarm over declining supplies.

Recently, the Aluminium Association of India (AAI) wrote to the Prime Minister’s Office, coal minister, and the cabinet secretary, seeking their urgent intervention to ward off the imminent disruptions to the sector due to the "coal crisis" situation.

The minister on Monday also outlined the recent steps taken to bring about reforms in terms of easing of regulations and coal auctions.  

He said that two tranches of auctions for commercial mining on revenue sharing mechanism have completed and the third tranche is currently under process. Under the two tranches, a total of 28 coal mines have been successfully auctioned.

The minister said that India's total coal production in FY22, as of February stood at 681.51 million tonne, as against the annual target of 848 million tonne.