CIL lists steps needed to increase output

Says major production constraints need to be addressed to boost production capacity

Fast tracking land acquisition, resolving rehabilitation and resettlement issue and avoiding delays in green clearance are some of the steps needed to be taken to augment coal output, state-run miner CIL has said.

Power and Coal Minister on Sunday said that the government was striving to ensure adequate coal for power plants and was targeting production of one billion tonnes by 2019.

"Major production constraints need to be addressed to boost production capacity," Coal India Ltd (CIL) has said.

Some of the steps that are needed to be taken include "fast tracking land acquisition and R&R (rehabilitation and resettlement) issues, avoiding delays in environmental and forestry clearances, timely completion of construction of infrastructure facilities for coal evacuation," CIL has said.

Enhancing coal exploration and providing greater thrust on R&D activities are some of the other measures needed to increase the output.

The government had earlier said that for ensuring adequate supply of fuel, CIL had committed to a target of one billion tonnes of coal production in next five years, from the current level of 500 million tonnes.

The government had also said that to enhance output from existing mines efficiency and productivity improvement initiatives, technological upgradation and better evacuation were being executed on priority basis.

It may be noted that CIL, which accounts for over 80 per cent of the domestic coal output, produced just 34.54 million tonnes of coal in August, missing the target for the fourth consecutive month, even as acute fuel shortages continue to hit power generation.

According to Central Electricity Authority data, 57 coal-based power plants across the country as on September 7 were having coal stocks for less than seven days.