Question : COAL AT PITHEADS



(a) whether a huge quantity of coal had been lying at pitheads as the same had not been lifted by coal companies;

(b) if so, the details thereof; and

(c) the steps taken by the Government in this regard?

Answer given by the minister


MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COAL (SHRI PRATIK PRAKASHBAPU PATIL)

(a): Yes, Sir.

(b): The coal stock lying at the pitheads of subsidiary coal companies of Coal India Limited (CIL) was 69.17 Million Tonnes as on 31.3.2011. However, during the period April to June 2011, CIL/coal companies were able to liquidate 9.73 Million Tonnes out of this stock. Subsidiary-wise vendible coal stock as on 1.4.2011 and 1.7.2011 was as given below:

(Figures in Million Tonnes)
Name of the coal company	Vendible coal	Vendible coal	stock as on	stock as on	1.4.2011	1.7.2011(provisional)
Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL) 4.32 3.32 Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL) 8.04 7.64 Central Coalfields Limited (CCL) 16.37 13.70 Northern Coalfields Limited (NCL) 4.05 3.00 Western Coalfields Limited (WCL) 3.95 3.63 South Eastern Coalfields Limited(SECL) 10.62 9.23 Mahanadi Coalfiled Limited (MCL) 21.53 18.70 North-Eastern Coalfields (NEC) 0.29 0.21 Total 69.17 59.44

(c): An inter-Ministerial Sub-Group under the chairmanship of Joint Secretary, Ministry of Coal regularly reviews the coal stock position and inter-alia, suggests measures for liquidation of pithead stocks. CIL has geared up its machinery to liquidate the pithead stocks to the tune of 25 Million Tonnes during the current year over and above the coal offtake target of 452 Million Tonnes fixed by Planning Commission as part of the Annual Plan 2011-12, out of which 9.73 MT has already been liquidated. For this purpose, CIL has taken up the issue of increasing coal dispatch by rail during the current year with the Railways through the forum of Rail Coal Interface and the Railways have agreed to supply more rakes to facilitate higher offtake of coal.