52 coal projects to power 1-bn-tonne goal by 2026: CIL CMD Pramod Agarwal

'We will look at exports after fulfilling the fuel supply commitments and meeting the domestic coal demand of both the power and non-regulated sectors'

National miner Coal India Limited (CIL) has set 2025-26 as the target year to achieve the ambitious 1 billion-tonne (BT) coal production target. Responding to the increasing power demand, the company has stepped on the gas. From approving the highest ever mine projects to enhanced mechanisation and outsourcing, CIL is aiming to boost production while keeping its cost in check. Pramod Agarwal, chairman and managing director of CIL, speaks to Shreya Jai on the road to 1 billion tonne. Edited excerpts:

What operational level changes were made to achieve the coal production target last fiscal?

Systemic improvement measures initiated some time back