MINISTER OF COAL (SHRI SRIPRAKASH JAISWAL)
(a) to (e): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
Statement referred to in reply to parts (a) to (e) of Lok Sabha Starred Question No.185 for 7.12.2011
(a) & (b): During April-October, 2011, as against the contracted quantity of 31.006 million tonnes, actual coal supplies were 27.275 million tonnes, which works out to 88% materialization to the power utilities located in Uttar Pradesh.
The overall coal despatches to the power utilities from Coal India Limited (CIL) sources during April-July 2011 grew by about 5% over the corresponding period of the previous year. However, there was overall decline of coal despatches to the power utilities by about 1% during April – October, 2011 as compared to the corresponding period of the previous year.
The coal despatches to power utilities, including the power utilities of Uttar Pradesh, were affected severely due to heavy rains during August and September, 2011 in the coal fields dislocating coal transportation and wagon loading for power stations, frequent law and order problems, particularly in Jharkhand and Odisha affecting despatches in Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL), Central Coalfields Ltd (CCL) and Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd (MCL). Despatches were also affected because of prolonged strike and lesser production in Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) in September- October, 2011 when coal meant for other power plants of the country was diverted to meet the requirements of the power plants of Andhra Pradesh. One day’s strike on 10th October, 2011 in CIL also led to a fall in production and consequent despatches.
(c) & (d): During the period April to November, 2011, twenty three meetings of the inter-ministerial Sub-group formed under the Chairmanship of Joint Secretary, Ministry of Coal and comprising of representatives of Ministry of Power, Railways, Planning Commission and Coal India Limited were held to review the coal stock position at the power plants monitored by the Central Electricity Authority. In addition to these meetings, the matter relating to coal supply to power plants was also continuously reviewed at the level of Secretary (Coordination)/Cabinet Secretary during April-November, 2011.
(e): Coal production generally increases from November of the year and it is expected that dispatches will now increase considerably. The average rail loading from CIL sources during September and October, 2011 was 146 rakes and 158 rakes respectively. During November, 2011, however, the average rail loading from CIL sources had increased to about 181 rakes per day, out of which an average 144 rakes were dispatched to the power sector. As against the average daily supply of 20 rakes to the power utilities of Uttar Pradesh made during October 2011, CIL supplied an average of 26 rakes in November 2011.
