Coal Industry

India among top coal mine methane emitters in 2025, says IEA report

IEA flags India among top coal mine methane emitters, highlighting gaps in reporting and the urgent need for cost-effective emission reduction measures

Weekly policy watch: PMI data, coal gasification push in focus this week

India's economic calendar this week will track factory and services activity alongside a major energy policy push, offering key signals on growth, inflation and industrial strategy

Cabinet to soon clear ₹37,500 cr coal gasification incentive scheme

The Cabinet is likely to approve soon a Rs 37,500 crore incentive scheme to promote coal gasification projects, aimed at boosting clean energy production and reducing import dependence, sources said. The coal ministry has already prepared a Cabinet note on the scheme to promote coal gasification projects, with a financial outlay of Rs 37,500 crore, they said. The proposed scheme is aimed at accelerating surface coal and lignite gasification projects across the country, promoting self reliance by reducing import dependence on critical commodities such as LNG, urea, ammonium nitrate, ammonia, coking coal via DRI, methanol and DME, while enabling enhanced utilisation of domestic coal and lignite resources for fuels and chemicals production, and supporting the national target of 100 million tonnes coal gasification capacity by 2030. This is a unified scheme with no categories, and the maximum financial assistance for a single project is Rs 3,000 crore, they said. In the earlier financi

March dip drags India's FY26 core sector showing to five-year low

Fertiliser, coal, crude oil and electricity drag index; FY26 growth slows to a five-year low as input shortages and weak output weigh on industrial momentum

Sebi clears MCX plan to set up coal exchange with ₹100 crore investment

MCX to launch coal exchange subsidiary with full ownership initially, aiming to build a transparent and technology-driven market platform for coal trading in India

Coal ministry launches 15th auction, offers 17 blocks to boost output

Seventeen coal blocks, including reoffered mines, put up for auction as Centre looks to enhance domestic production and strengthen energy security

Coal India absorbing input costs surge to shield consumers from price spike

State-owned Coal India Limited is absorbing rising input costs to protect consumers from higher coal prices, even as expenses for key inputs, such as explosives and industrial diesel, have surged sharply following the West Asia conflict. The company said it has chosen not to pass on the increase, warning that doing so could trigger a cascading impact across sectors reliant on coal. It is also compensating contractors operating in its mines for higher diesel costs. Prices of ammonium nitrate - a key component accounting for about 60 per cent of explosives used in opencast mining - have risen 44 per cent to Rs 72,750 per tonne as of April 1 from pre-war levels. This has pushed up the average cost of explosives by around 26 per cent to nearly Rs 49,800 per tonne by end-March. Coal India's subsidiaries consume about 0.9 million tonnes of explosives annually. This entire cost is being absorbed by Coal India, the company said. Diesel prices have also surged, rising roughly 54 per cent t

CIL absorbs surge in input costs to shield coal users from price hike

CIL said that any pass-through of these rising input costs could have a cascading effect on the economy, particularly on power and industrial users dependent on coal

Govt sets new rules for coal gasification mining plans to boost output

New norms aim to boost syngas production from coal and lignite through gasification technology, while ensuring minimal surface impact, scientific planning, and regulatory compliance

BCCL halts Dhanbad mining after agitation; operations stalled since April 2

Operations stalled since April 2 at ABOCP mine in Dhanbad as BCCL alleges illegal disruption by local persons and files FIR; production and dispatch activities remain halted

Amid Iran war, CIL plans to offer 25.62 MT of coal in April via auction

State-owned Coal India Ltd plans to offer 25.62 million tonnes of coal through online auction in the current month, a move expected to mitigate the impact of energy supply shocks on industries amid the West Asia crisis. The disruptions in LNG, LPG and crude oil supplies from the Middle East have increased demand for coal, driving up its import prices. Coal India had offered 32.532 million tonnes of coal through e-auction in March against 20.5 million tonnes in February this year. The state-run coal producer plans to offer coal through the Single Window Mode Agnostic (SWMA) auction. SWMA auction is a unified, simplified e-auction system launched in 2022 to consolidate multiple existing auction windows (Spot, Special Spot, Forward) into a single platform, making coal procurement easier, more transparent, and market-driven for all buyers. According to Coal India Ltd's SWMA auction calender, Coal India subsidiary Western Coalfields Ltd (WCL) plans to put on offer 2 million tonnes (MT),

BCGCL, MCL sign land deal for India's first coal gasification project

BCGCL and MCL sign a land agreement for India's first indigenous coal gasification project in Odisha, aimed at boosting energy security and reducing import dependence

CIL to invest ₹3,300 crore in 8 coking coal washeries to cut imports

Coal India will invest Rs 3,300 crore to set up eight coking coal washeries by FY2030, aiming to improve coal quality, reduce imports and support domestic steel production

Power ministry directs plants using imported coal to run at full capacity

The Power Ministry is believed to have directed imported coal-based thermal plants to operate at full capacity for three months from April 1, to avoid any electricity shortage amid the estimated peak demand of 270GW during this summer. Sources said that in letters sent to imported coal-based plants in the country, the power ministry invoked Section 11 of the Electricity Act, asking them to run at full capacity. The step has been taken to ensure optimal power availability, considering the prevailing demand-supply scenario and the expected rise in electricity demand in the coming months, according to the letter. The ministry has estimated the peak power demand to be over 270GW during this summer season (April onwards). However, during last summer (April 2025 onwards), the peak power demand was 242.77 GW in June, 2025. According to government estimates, peak power demand was expected to touch 277 GW in the summer of 2025. The peak power demand touched an all-time high of about 250 G

Coal gasification key to India's energy security, says G Kishan Reddy

Union Minister for coal and mines G Kishan Reddy on Sunday said coal gasification will play an important role in strengthening India's energy security, reducing imports and supporting industrial growth. This push has gained urgency amid the West Asia conflict, which has driven up global energy prices. He was speaking during the Bharat Electricity Summit 2026. Describing coal gasification as a key transformative technology, he said it converts coal into Syngas, which can be further used to produce cleaner fuels, chemicals, fertilizers, and hydrogen. This approach enables more efficient and sustainable use of domestic resources while enhancing economic resilience. He also pointed out India's dependence on imports, approximately 83 per cent of crude oil, 50 per cent of natural gas, and over 90 per cent of methanol and fertilizers, making energy security a strategic priority. To promote adoption, the Centre has launched the National Coal Gasification Mission with a target of 100 mill

West Asia crisis: CIL assures steady coal supply, stocks for consumers

The government on Thursday asserted that India's domestic coal production is steadily matching consumer demands, with state-owned Coal India Ltd (CIL) implementing robust measures to secure uninterrupted dry fuel for all sectors, amid escalating tensions in West Asia. As a proactive step, CIL, which accounts for over 80 per cent of domestic coal output, has planned 29 e-auctions in the current month, offering about 23.56 million tonnes (MT) of coal. "Out of these 29 auctions, 5 auctions have already been conducted since March 12, 2026, wherein 73.1 lakh tonnes of coal were offered, and 31.96 lakh tonnes of coal have been booked, indicating adequacy of coal offered in the e-auctions," the coal ministry said in a statement. In addition to this, CIL has also taken necessary action to ensure coal availability to the small, medium and other consumers through the State Nominated Agencies (SNAs) route and requested the State governments to provide the additional coal requirement, which can

Govt fully geared to meet coal demand surge amid West Asia crisis

Amid escalating tensions in West Asia threatening global energy supplies, the government on Wednesday said it is fully prepared to meet any unprecedented surge in coal demand, with overall coal stocks at about 210 million tonne -- adequate for around 88 days. This year, coal production and supply have outpaced consumption, leading to record-high stocks at thermal power plants and coal mines. Supplies to the non-regulated sector are up nearly 14 per cent over the previous year. Pithead coal stocks at mines of Coal India Ltd (CIL) stood at 106.78 million tonne (MT) on April 1, 2025, rising to 121.39 MT as of March 9 this year. Further, there is around 6.07 MT of coal at the mines of Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL), another 15.12 MT at captive, commercial mines, and about 14 MT in transit, totalling 156.58 MT, the highest ever. This stock is in addition to the coal which is already available at power plants, which is around 54.05 MT as on March 9, 2026, adequate for near

CoalMin proposes revised timelines to speed up mine operationalisation

Draft amendments to mining agreements introduce stricter milestone schedules and performance security provisions to fast-track commercial and captive coal mine development

Centre unveils second tranche of critical mineral EL block auctions

Government offers 11 blocks of critical and deep-seated minerals across eight states under Exploration Licence regime to boost domestic mineral exploration

India to rely on coal for next 25 years before sharp fall: NITI Aayog

Under the current policy scenario - which assumes no major new decarbonisation measures - coal demand is expected to peak at 2.62 billion metric tons in 2050, more than double the current 1.26 billion