Coal based power output rise about 22% in 100 days: Goyal

Says coal shortage at power stations was due to stocks being consumed faster for higher electricity generation

The government today said that there was no low coal supply and dry-fuel based power production has increased by about 22% in the three months of Narendra Modi-led government.

Addressing the media here, Power and Coal Minister Piyush Goyal said that coal shortage at power stations was due to stocks being consumed faster for higher electricity generation.

"There is no low coal supply ... The materialisation of coal is as per the plan in the last few years. The fact the coal production has not increased is the really that I have inherited.

"I cannot increase coal production in 100 days .. But the fact using the available resources we have increased electricity supply by 22% which is only coal based," Goyal told reporters here.

He also said the government will ensure quick action after the Supreme Court's decision on illegal coal mine allocation to get the process rolling and enhance coal output to 1 billion tonne by 2019.

The Supreme Court had said that all coal blocks during last 17 years since 1993 by various regimes at the Centre have been allocated illegally and arbitrarily, bringing uncertainty to the fate of 218 block allocations and consequential investments to the tune of around Rs 2 lakh crore.

As on September 4, 28 power plants across the country had coal stocks of less than four days.

Goyal said that state-run Coal India will spend Rs 5,000 crore to purchase 250 rail rakes for faster evacuation of dry fuel from mines.