(a) whether coal imports dropped this year when compared to the last three years; and
(b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor?
(a) whether coal imports dropped this year when compared to the last three years; and
(b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor?
MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR COAL,
POWER, NEW & RENEWABLE ENERGY AND MINES
(SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)
(a)&(b): Yes Madam. Coal imports have fallen from 217.78 Mte in 2014-15 to 203.95 Mte in 2015-16 and further to 190.95 Mte. in 2016-17. The trend of fall in import of coal has continued in 2017-18. As per Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence & Statistics (DGCI&S), during April-June 2017-18, 52.74 Mte. (Provisional) of coal was imported as compared to 57.38 Mte. in the corresponding period of 2016-17 showing a decline of 8.1%. The fall in imports is largely on account of enhanced production by CIL, due to which the country has moved from a regime of coal scarcity to a coal surplus situation. The vendible stock of CIL has increased form 53.62 Mt. as on 01.04.2015 to 61.92 Mt. as on 01.04.2017. The off-take / dispatch of coal of CIL has also increased from 488.86 Mt in 2014-15 to 542.82 Mt. in 2016-17. The vendible stock of CIL even on 01.07.2017 was 49.90 Mt. However, the gap between demand and supply of coal cannot be bridged completely as there is insufficient domestic availability of coking coal and power plants designed on imported coal will continue to import coal for their production.
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