Page 16 - Coal Industry

ED seizes Rs 1.4 crore cash from Kolkata firm involved in coal smuggling

The Enforcement Directorate on Thursday said it has seized Rs 1.4 crore in cash from the premise of a Kolkata-based company and has identified a person who was "handling illegal cash of a minister" allegedly generated from coal smuggling. The federal probe agency issued a statement saying it raided the premises of the Gajraj Group at Earle Street in West Bengal's capital Kolkata on Wednesday. The action, the ED said, was undertaken on the basis of a "specific" intelligence input that a "highly influential political person" was making an attempt to launder the proceeds of crime originating from coal smuggling through his "close confidant" Manjit Singh Grewal alias Jitti Bhai. The seized cash of Rs 1.4 crore was "unaccounted", part of the total cash payment of approximately Rs 9 crore, for a property called Salasar guest house at an "under-valued" price, it said. "The market value of this property is more than Rs 12 crore. However, deed value of the same is shown around Rs 3 ...

Coal demand estimated to reach 1,087 million tonnes in current fiscal year

Demand for coal is estimated to reach 1,087 million tonne in the ongoing financial year, Parliament was informed on Wednesday. As against the increased coal demand, domestic production of the fossil fuel has also increased. "For the current year 2022-23, coal demand has been assessed by the Ministry (coal) to reach 1,087 MT," Coal Minister Pralhad Joshi said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha. The actual demand for coal increased to 1,027.92 million tonne (MT) in FY22 from 906.13 MT in FY21. In FY22, the domestic coal production increased 8.67 per cent to 778.19 MT from 716.08 MT in FY21, the minister said. Several steps have been taken by the government to increase the production of coal in the country. These include identification and development of new coal blocks, including through captive and commercial route and single window clearance portal for the coal sector to speed up the operationalisation of coal mines. Being an affordable source of energy with substantial reserve

Coal import cannot be zero as thermal power projects designed for dry fuels

Coal imports cannot be reduced to zero as several thermal power projects in India are designed to utilise the imported dry fuel for its high calorific value and blending it with domestic coal is also needed to maintain fuel stocks, Parliament was informed on Tuesday. "The power plants designed for utilizing high Gross Calorific Value (GCV) non-coking coal, and cement, sponge iron, aluminum customers are utilizing high-ranked low ash coal. The coal requirement for such category of consumers cannot be substituted by domestic coal. Thus, import of coal cannot be reduced to zero," Power Minister R K Singh said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha. Singh said thermal power plants have been importing coal for blending since 2009. During 2022-23 (till January 2023), Coal India Ltd despatched 485.99 million tonne (provisional) coal to the power sector as compared to 440.05 MT during the same period a year ago, registering a growth of about 10 per cent. However, he stated that with the ris

Sri Lankan coal company requests over $12 million amid power cuts fear

Chairman of the Lanka Coal Company Shehan Sumanasekara told media on Saturday that he has asked the money from Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekera

India's coal production rises by nearly 13% in January to 89.96 mn tonnes

The country's coal production increased by 12.94 per cent to 89.96 million tonnes in January 2023. The country's coal output stood at 79.65 million tonnes (MT) in the corresponding month of the previous fiscal. As per provisional data of the coal ministry, Coal India Ltd (CIL) registered a production growth of 11.44 per cent in January, whereas SCCL and captive mines, and others posted a growth of 13.93 per cent and 22.89 per cent, respectively. Of the top 37 coal producing mines, production of 28 was more than 100 per cent, while the output of three mines stood between 80 and 100 per cent during last month. At the same time, coal despatch increased by 8.54 per cent to 81.91 MT last month compared to 75.47 MT in January last fiscal. "The power utilities despatch has increased by 8.01 per cent to 67.72 MT during Jan'23 as compared to 62.70 MT in Jan'22," it said. CIL accounts for over 80 per cent of domestic coal output.

India plans to invoke emergency law to force imported coal-based utilities

India plans to evoke an emergency law next month which would force power plants running on imported coal to generate power, two government sources

Chhattisgarh coal scam: ED attaches more assets worth Rs 17.48 cr

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday said that it has attached 51 immovable properties worth Rs 17.48 crore in the illegal coal levy extortion scam in Chhattisgarh

Govt asks utilities to not retire coal-fired power plants till 2030

'It is advised to all power utilities not to retire any thermal units till 2030 and ensure availability of units after carrying out renovation and modernisation activities if required'

Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd to set up Rs 12,000 cr power plant in Odisha

Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL), a subsidiary of Coal India Limited, is looking to diversify into power generation, and plans to set up a Rs 12,000 crore power plant in Odisha

Illegal coal mining may push WB's Raniganj towards Joshimath-like crisis

Mamata Banerjee last week said that a Joshimath-like tragedy in Raniganj will affect the lives and livelihood of over 20,000 people in the region

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India to boost coal imports to cope with harsh weather, freight snags

India's record domestic output of coal has eased tight inventories at power plants, to an average 12 days' supply at the end of 2022

Coal India subsidiary NCL to start M-Sand production, says ministry

State-owned Coal India's subsidiary NCL will soon start production of M-Sand, a material used for construction works. Northern Coalfields Ltd (NCL) will start production of M-Sand or Manufactured Sand for its Amlohri project in Madhya Pradesh, according to a coal ministry statement on Tuesday. M-Sand is artificial sand produced from crushing hard stones into small sand-sized angular shaped particles, washed and finely graded to be used as construction aggregate. It is an alternative to river sand for construction works. NCL is all set to start production of M-Sand and the move is aimed at maximising the utilisation of natural resources and minimising the adverse impact of mining. Eyeing business diversification while focusing on the ecological balance, the company has set up a sand manufacturing plant using its over burden as a raw material. This pro-environment move of the company will help in conserving river bed erosion and preserve aquatic ecosystems, as per the ...

Bids for 6th commercial auction of coal mines can be submitted till Jan 13

The government on Tuesday said that bids for the sixth round of commercial coal mines' auction can be submitted till Friday. The bids will be opened on coming Monday in the presence of representatives of the bidders. The biggest tranche of 141 mines covering eleven coal-bearing states are being offered in the sixth round of commercial coal mine auction. "In accordance with the timelines, bidders can submit their bids online on the electronic platform by 12:00 hours up to January 13, 2023 and physically by 16:00 hours on the same day," the coal ministry said in a statement. The coal mines under the ongoing tranche have been selected considering the varied demands within the investor community; some of the coal mines have been resized based on the feedback of the industry to improve their attractiveness. The coal ministry had launched the process for auction of 133 coal mines under sixth round of commercial auctions, of which 71 are new coal mines and 62 blocks are rolling over from

Govt expects utilities' annual coal demand to surge 8% to 821 mn tonnes

State-run Coal India, which accounts for 80% of India's coal production, is seen supplying 620 million tonnes to the power sector in 2023-24, compared with a projected 580 million tonnes in 2022-23

Power Ministry asks utilities to import 6% of coal requirement until Sept

Coal accounts for more than 70% of India's power generation, with coal-fired plants accounting for more than three quarters of India's use of the polluting fuel

Govt asks utilities to import 6% of their coal need until September

India's power ministry has asked utilities to import 6% of their coal requirement until September, according to letter seen by Reuters

Coal India registers highest nine-month growth since pre-Covid level

Compared to the April-December period of 2019, the company's coal production grew by 23 per cent

Core sector output rises by 5.4% in November vs 3.2% YoY: Govt data

Production of eight infrastructure sectors increased by 5.4 per cent in November against a 3.2 per cent growth in the same month last year on a better show by coal, fertiliser, steel, cement and electricity segments, according to the official data released on Friday. Crude oil, natural gas and refinery products, however, recorded negative growth in November this year. The production growth of eight key sectors slowed down to 0.9 per cent in October. The growth rate of eight infrastructure sectors -- coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertilisers, steel, cement and electricity -- stood at 8 per cent in April-November this fiscal as against 13.9 per cent during the same period last fiscal. The production of coal rose by 12.3 per cent, fertiliser by 6.4 per cent, steel by 10.8 per cent, cement by 28.6 per cent and electricity by 12.1 per cent in November 2022 compared to a year ago. Core sectors industries, which have 40.27 per cent weight in the overall index of industr

In a bid to boost mine tourism Coal sector constructs 8 eco parks

In a bid to give a fillip to mine tourism, eight eco-parks have been constructed recently in different parts of the country and two more will be completed in the ongoing financial year, the government said on Friday. The said eco-parks are being developed on reclaimed land. Coal and mines minister Pralhad Joshi had inaugurated Jhurey/Bal Gangadhar Tilak eco-park of Coal India arm WCL in October. NLC India Ltd (NLCIL) has entered into a pact with Pondicherry Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) recently to promote eco-tourism at mine-I and mine-II and display sustainable mining activities. The pact between Northern Coalfields Ltd (NCL), a CIL arm, and Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board to give a fillip to Singrauli Eco-Tourism Circuit and another MOU by WCL with Directorate of Tourism, Maharashtra are also to further promote eco-tourism in the coal sector. In line with the sustainable development and greening initiatives coal/lignite PSUs have planted around 47 lakh saplings on 2300 Ha