Coal India's production rises 9.9% in Apr-Sep

Public sector coal producer Coal India (CIL) has reported an output of 184.4 million tonnes in the first half of the current fiscal, an increase of 9.9 per cent compared to the year ago period.

CIL had produced 167.8 million tonnes in April-September last year.

Further, government-run Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC) has also posted a growth of 12 per cent in its production in the six-month period ended September 30, 2009.

"Coal PSUs had set up a steep target for themselves for the first half of this financial year and they worked hard to achieve it. We now expect an improvement in production growth in the second half of the financial year," Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Coal Sriprakash Jaiswal told reporters here today.

The improved performance by CIL and its subsidiaries has also helped in the country's overall growth in production, the minister said.

Coal India has a production target of 435 million tonnes for the current fiscal of which it has already achieved 184.44 million tonnes.