Central Coalfields posts record output in 2015-16

The Central Coalfields Ltd (CCL) produced a record 61.35 million tonnes of coal during 2015-16 -- a growth of 10.25 percent over the previous year, Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) Gopal Singh said on Friday.

"We produced 61.35 MT of coal, the highest ever, against the target of 60.60 MT and last year's output of 55.65 MT. The growth was about 10.25 percent. This is the second consecutive year when CCL has achieved double-digit growth and achieved its target as well," Gopal Singh told reporters here.

"The double-digit growth is likely to continue in future."

Ranchi-headquartered CCL is one of the seven wholly-owned production companies of Coal India Ltd (CIL), which is an undertaking of the central government.

During 2015-16, CCL removed about 106.9 million cubic metres of 'overburden', the highest ever, as against the last year's achievement of 97.376 million cubic metres, Gopal Singh said.

'Overburden' removal is an important performance criterion in coal production. It improves mine geometry and exposes the coal seam for future mining besides making mines safer to operate.

The coal off-take in 2015-16 was about 59.6 million tonnes, the highest ever and a growth of eight percent over 55.34 million tonnes recorded in the previous year.

The productivity in 2015-16 grew by about 19 percent.

"In a span of about three years up to 2016, six greenfield projects have been commissioned, which has no parallel in the coal industry," said the CMD.

That's a great turnaround from the period 2009-10 to 2012-13 when production was stagnating at about 48 million tonnes, Gopal Singh said.

He said CCL was seeking to become a zero grievance company in 2016-17, setting up a Samadhan Kendra (grievance redress centre) here.

CCL currently has 62 mines (22 underground, 40 open cast) in East Bokaro, West Bokaro, North Karanpur, South Karanpur, Ramgarh and Giridih -- all in Jharkhand.