Coal India supplies 491 MT coal to Tamil Nadu in 2018-19

State-owned Coal India (CIL) has supplied 491.54 million tonnes (MT) coal to power plants in Tamil Nadu in 2018-19, Parliament was informed Monday.

"In the year 2018-19, Coal India supplied 491.54 MT coal to power plants which was 8.2 per cent more than the coal supplied in 2017-18," Minister of Coal and Mines Pralhad Joshi said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.

Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) supplied 55.3 MT coal to power plants in 2018-19, a growth of 3.6 per cent over the same period of previous year, he said.

"This has led to creation of a coal stock of 30.95 MT at the power plants as on March 31, 2019 which was sufficient for 18 days requirement," the minister said.

In 2018-19, CIL's coal supply to power plants of Tangedco in Tamil Nadu rose 3.5 per cent to 23.26 MT, compared to 22.49 MT in 2017-18.

As on June 16, 2019, he said, power plants in Tamil Nadu have coal stock of 9.67 lakh tonnes, which is sufficient for 12 days requirement.

The minister further said that no power plant in Tamil Nadu is in critical /super critical category as numerous steps have been taken to augment coal supply to power plants in the state.

"The power plants in close vicinity of coal fields have been advised to move coal through road mode. For proper utilization of goods sheds, the power plants have been advised to move coal through road-cum-rail mode. Optimal utilization of the captive modes of transport like, MGR, belts, ropes to move coal to the concerned power plants," he said.

Coal supplies to the power sector is monitored regularly by an Inter-Ministerial Sub-group comprising representative of Ministry of Power, Ministry of Coal, Ministry of Railways and Ministry of Shipping, Coal India etc, he stated.

"As a result of the measures taken, coal stock at power plants as on June 16, 2019 has increased to 27.01 MT from 15.44 MT as on June 16, 2018," the minister added.