30% Hike In Prices Of Coal Grades Used By Core Sector
Coal India has raised prices for D,E,F and G grades of coal by around 30 per cent. Prices for A, B and C grades and coking coal were last revised in October 1996. Grades D, E, F and G, which are mainly consumed by core sector units like power plants, comprise about 70 per cent of coal production. This is the first time prices of D grade coal have been revised after the price deregulation in February this year.
However, the E, F and G grades have not been deregulated so far. The revised prices are not inclusive of any state government levies or taxes and indicate only pit-head prices. The revised prices were notified on April 1 quietly. Based on the estimates provided by the coal ministry, the impact of the increase on the power sector, which consumes the bulk of coal, will be around Rs 2,000 crore as the increase in price per unit (kilowatt hour) is around 4 to 5 paise.
The subsidiaries that have hiked prices are Eastern Coalfields, Central Coalfields, South Eastern Coalfields, Bharat Coking Coal and Northern Coalfields, Mahanadi Coalfields and Western Coalfields.
An additional levy of Rs 10 per tonne will also be charged for high capacity loading (with a nominal capacity of 3,500 tonnes per hour or more). CIL subsidiaries will also levy an additional charge ranging between Rs 21 per tonne and Rs 40 per tonne for transporting coal beyond a distance of three km from the loading point. For Eastern Coalfields (Ranigunj and SP mines), the revised price of D
grade coal is in the range of Rs 709 to Rs 643 per tonne. For Central and South Eastern Coalfields, in the long flame category, the price of D grade coal is in the range of Rs 604 to 584 per tonne.
In the non long flame category, D grade coal prices range from Rs 544 to Rs 524. For E grade, prices range from Rs 436 to 416, for F grade, from Rs 352 to 332 and for G from Rs 257 to 237.
For Eastern Coalfields, Rajmahal project, D grade prices range from Rs 687 to 667, E grade between Rs 579 and Rs 559, F grade between Rs 495 and Rs 475 and G between Rs 400 and Rs 380.
For Eastern Coalfields, Mugma and Salanpur, Bharat Coking Coalfields and Northern Coalfields, in the D grade long flame category, prices range from Rs 604 to 584.
In the non long flame category, prices of D, E, F and G grades range from Rs 544 to 524; Rs 436 to 416; Rs 352 to 332 and Rs 257 to 237, respectively.
For Mahanadi Coalfields, in the long flame category, the revised D grade prices range from Rs 584 to 564 per tonne.
In the non long flame category, D grade prices range from Rs 524 to 504; E grade from Rs 420 to 400; F from Rs 339 to 319 and G from Rs 247 to Rs 227.
In the case of Western Coalfields, for the D grade long flame category, the prices range from Rs 834 to 814. In the non-long flame category, D grade prices range from Rs 774 to 754, E grade from Rs 647 to 627, F grade from Rs 543 to 523 and G grade from Rs 414 to 394. The prices for E, F and G grades are based on the Bureau of Industrial Costs & Prices formula.