Govt aims to produce 186.63 million tonnes of coal from commercial, captive mines from 2025

The government's goal to produce 186.63 million tonnes of coal from commercial and captive mines next year indicates a significant focus on boosting domestic coal production. Achieving this target could have several implications, including enhancing energy security, supporting industrial needs, and potentially reducing reliance on coal imports.

New Delhi: The Central government on Monday said that it has an aim to produce 186.63 million tonnes of coal exclusively from captive and commercial coal mines in the fiscal year. The production will be further stepped up to 225.69 million tonnes during the financial year 2025-26 and as per the present plans of the ministry, the production target from such mines will be touching 383.56 million tonnes by the financial year 2029-30, said the Ministry of Coal.

As per the latest figures of the ministry till December 23, 2023, 50 captive and commercial coal mines are under production out of which 32 mines are allocated to the power sector, 11 to the non-regulated sector and seven mines are allocated for the sale of coal. Within three and half years after the commencement of the commercial coal mines auction in 2020, six mines with a cumulative peak rated capacity (PRC) of 14.87 million tonnes (MT) have already started production, it said.

Last month, the total coal production from captive and commercial coal mines was 14.04 million tonnes, up by 38 per cent from 10.14 million tonnes in the same month of the previous year. Coal production and dispatch from captive and commercial coal blocks attained remarkable growth from April 1 to December 31, 2023. The total coal production from captive and commercial coal mines during the period April 1, 2023, to December 31, 2023, stood at 98 million tonnes.

Last week, M Nagaraju, additional secretary and nominated authority, Ministry of Coal, held a high-level meeting to review the status of “producing and expected to produce” captive and commercial coal mines. During the meeting, he appreciated the efforts of all the allottees for the commendable increase in coal production and advised them to put in further efforts to achieve the committed coal production targets for the financial year 2023-24. By securing a steady supply of coal, the ministry aims to safeguard India's energy future and fuel economic growth further.

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