Coal India's output increases to 567 mn tonnes in FY18: Piyush Goyal

State-owned Coal India's output increased by 105 million tonnes (MT) in the last four years to reach 567 MT in 2017-18, Union Minister Piyush Goyal said on Monday.

The remarks come at a time when the country is facing coal shortages.

Coal India Ltd's output has increased from 462 MT in 2013-14 to 567 MT in 2017-18, the coal minister said.

Goyal, who also holds the railways portfolio, was addressing the media here on completion of four years of the BJP government.

"What used to happen in 7-8 years (earlier) has happened in four years...This 105 MT increase in production in four years took almost seven years to achieve before 2013-14," Goyal said.

The minister said the increase in production was made possible due to the coordinated efforts of both the ministries -- coal and railways.

"There has also been increase in rail freight by 8 per cent in April and May," he said.

The minister also said there has been gradual decline in coal imports in the last few years.