Question : Performance of Coal Mines

(a) whether the Government has assessed the performance and profitability of coal mines in the country and if so, the names of coal mines which are running in profit/losses;
(b) the details of the coal mines which are closed down or likely to be closed down after completion of the extraction work;
(c) whether the Government pays adequate compensation to workers when coal mines are closed, if so, the quantum of compensation paid to workers during each of the last three years and the current year;
(d) the steps taken by the Government to make good/compensate the losses/shortages in the coal production;
(e) whether the Government has formulated any scheme for the exploration and operation of small/closed/abandoned coal mines and new mining regions; and
(f) if so, the details thereof alongwith the other steps taken by the Government to increase domestic coal production and reduce the import of coal?

MINISTER OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS, COAL AND MINES
( SHRI PRALHAD JOSHI)

(a) CIL has informed that during the year 2018-19, cost sheets were prepared for 420 no. of units, which are termed as “cost units” as per Cost Accounting Record Rules. Out of 420 cost units, 199 units are underground and 221 are opencast. The performance of 420 cost units as stated above are as follows:

Particulars Underground Opencast Total
Profit making Mines 4 124 128
Loss Making mines 195 97 292
Total 199 221 420

SCCL operates 49 mines (30 underground and 19 opencast) in the year 2018-19. 27 underground mines incurred loss during 2018-19 and remaining 3 underground mines are under initial stage of development. All the 19 opencast mines registered profit.

(b) Following mines are likely to be closed down after completion of the extraction work in the FY 19-20:




Company Sl. No. Name of the mine
SECL 1 Bartunga Hill UG Mine
2 Pinoura UG Mine
3 Balarampur UG Mine
4 Bisrampur OC
WCL 1 Jharna (Ghorawari Incline) UG
2 Pauni OC
ECL 1 Rajpura OC
2 Sodepur (R) UG

(c) In case of closure of coal mines, workers are gainfully deployed in other coal mines situated nearby, in their existing capacity and grade. Hence matter of payment of compensation does not arise.

(d) In order to compensate the losses/shortages in the coal production, coal companies have identified new projects to enhance domestic coal production. In this matter, CIL has identified 55 new coal projects which will reduce demand-supply gap of coal.

(e) & (f) Ministry of Coal, Govt. of India funds two schemes for the exploration of coal resources i.e. Regional Exploration & Detailed Drilling.

In the Scheme of Regional Exploration, a budget provision of Rs 120 Crore has been made for 2019-20 against the expenditure of Rs 100.74 Crore in 2018-19. Similarly in case of detailed drilling in 2019-20, Rs 817 Crore has been provided against the expenditure of Rs. 346.91 Crore in 2018-19.

Further, to augment coal production, coal companies have taken following steps:

i. Coal companies have planned and implemented higher capacity mega mines (more than 10 MTY capacity) with high mechanization.

ii. Coal companies have expanded their existing and on-going projects for enhancing their capacities through approval of revised project reports.

iii. Surface Miners have been introduced in opencast mines in a big way to improve operational efficiency & to cater environmental needs. During 2018-19, in CIL, around 50% of the opencast coal production was through Surface Miners.

iv. In order to further improve the operational efficiency, IT enabled Operator Independent Truck Dispatch System (OITDS) has been introduced in 11 nos. of mines of CIL. IT enabled RFID system of monitoring devices have been introduced to enable real time monitoring of the movement of vehicles which also facilitate corrective measures against unsafe operations and acts.

v. In underground mines, introduction of mechanized Mass Production Technology has been done. At present 2 Mines are being worked with Powered Support Longwall technology and 10 mines are being worked with 16 nos of Continuous Miner technology.

vi. For rapid coal evacuation, 19 nos. of silos with rapid loading systems having existing capacity of 151 MTY are in operation.
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