India's coal production to cross 1 bn tonnes in FY24: Pralhad Joshi

Coal and Mines Minister Pralhad Joshi on Wednesday

expressed confidence that the country's coal production will cross one billion tonnes in the ongoing financial year.

The country's production target of the fossil fuel for 2023-24 is 1,012.14 MT.

Speaking during the launch of the ninth round of commercial coal mine auction, the minister said, "This year we are going to cross one billion tonnes production."

The estimated demand of coal in the current fiscal is 1,196.60 million tonne (MT).

The demand of electricity by 2030 is going to double and to cater to the need the country needs coal, the minister said.

With the completion of the ninth round of auction, the sale of 100 coal blocks would be completed.

A total of 31 coal mines are being offered in the ninth round of commercial coal mine auctions. The mines being auctioned are spread across coal, lignite-bearing states of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Telangana.