New mines being opened, Pralhad

The Government is undertaking measures to ramp up the domestic coal production from the current level of 730 MT to 1149 MT by 2023 thereby eliminating the coal import except for the limited un-substitutable import.

Announcing this, Minister of Coal, Mines and Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi opined that despite the push for renewable energy, the country will require base load capacity of coal-based generation for stability.

He was addressing the 7th Roundtable Conference on Coal in which experts from Coal and Energy Sectors were participating in Delhi on 24 Sept 2019.

Currently, coal occupies 55% share in primary energy supply and about 75% in electricity generation.

The Government is opening new mines, expanding capacity of existing mines and creating new evacuation infrastructure to ramp up the domestic coal production.

Coal India Ltd (CIL) alone is poised to commission 11 new coking coal washeries in a phased manner to meet the total demand of washed domestic coking coal of steel sector, he added.

He outlined the initiatives that the Government has taken, such as, easing of mine plan approval, doing away with system of previous approval of Central Government for grant of mining lease, streamlining the grant of permits and clearances, greater coordination with State in matters relating to land acquisition, grant of lease, creation of sufficient coal evacuation infrastructure among others.

Joshi expressed confidence in boosting the domestic availability of coal in years to come and highlighted the efforts of his Ministry to promote diversified use of coal such as conversion of coal to synthesis gas and subsequent use of the latter to produce methanol or fertilizers.

Earlier, Power Ministry Secretary S C Garg highlighted the need for working towards becoming a coal exporting country by efficient use of resources and proper energy planning. fiinews.com