(a) the year-wise details of coal production from 2004 to 2021;
(b) the year-wise details of consumption of coal in thermal power plants from 2004 to 2021;
(c) the year-wise details of coal imported between 2004 and 2021;
(d) whether there is a scarcity of coal in the country and if so, the reasons therefor; and
(e) the details of the actions taken by the Government to deal with the national shortage of coal supply and the resultant power cuts in several States?
MINISTER OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS, COAL AND MINES
(SHRI PRALHAD JOSHI)
(a): The year wise details of coal production from 2004 to 2021 is at table –A of the Annexure.
(b): The year wise detail of consumption of coal in Thermal Power plants between 2004-05 to 2020-21 is at table –B of the Annexure.
(c): The year wise details of coal Import from 2004 to 2021 is at table-C of the Annexure.
(d): There is no shortage of coal in the country. Due to increased demand of power, less power generation by imported coal based power plants and some interruption in supply of coal due to heavy rains, the coal stock at the power plants depleted to 7.2 MT (sufficient for 4 days) as on 8th October, 2021. Subsequently with increased coal supplies, the coal stock has started increasing and has now reached 16.74 MT (sufficient for 9 days) as on 25.11.2021. Coal India Limited (CIL) has dispatched around 54 Million Tonnes (MT) more coal during April - October’21 in comparison to the same period of last year. CIL has dispatched 291.72 MT coal during this period, against 237.75 MT during the same period of last fiscal. The coal stock at CIL pithead was 40.23 MT as on 08.10.2021 and 32.30 MT as on 25.11.2021.
(e): Steps taken to improve coal supplies for meeting increased demand in the country are as follows:
i. In order to address the issues of coal supplies to power sector, an Inter-Ministerial Sub-Group comprising of representatives from Ministry of Power, Ministry of Coal, Ministry of Railways, Central Electricity Authority (CEA), CIL and SCCL meet regularly to take various operational decisions to enhance supply of coal to thermal power plants as well as for meeting any contingent situations relating to power sector including critical coal stock position in power plants.
ii. CIL had offered about 5.2 MT of additional coal from its various subsidiaries to States, Central Gencos for lifting through RCR/ Road Mode.
iii. In addition to Annual Contracted Quantity (ACQ), coal has been offered under RCR mode on ‘as is where is basis’ to build up stock at Power house end.
iv. The Ministry of Coal has amended Mineral Concession Rules, 1960 with a view to encourage domestic coal production enhancement from captive mines by allowing sale of coal or lignite, on payment of additional amount, by the lessee of a captive mine up to 50 percent of the total coal or lignite produced in a financial year, after meeting the requirement of the end use plant linked with the mine. Earlier this year, the Mines and Minerals (Development & Regulation) Act had been amended to this effect. This is applicable for both the private and public sector captive mines. With this amendment, the Government has paved the way for releasing of additional coal in the market by greater utilization of mining capacities of captive coal and lignite blocks, which were being only partly utilized owing to limited production of coal for meeting their captive needs.
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Annexure
Table -A Table -B Table -C
(Fig in million tonnes) (Fig in million tonnes) (Fig in million tonnes)
Year Production of coal from 2004-05 to 2020-21 Year Consumption of coal in Thermal Power plants between 2004-05 to 2020-21 Year Import of coal from 2004-05 to 2020-21
2004-05 382.615 2004-05 278.00 2004-05 28.950
2005-06 407.039 2005-06 281.00 2005-06 38.586
2006-07 430.832 2006-07 303.00 2006-07 43.081
2007-08 457.082 2007-08 324.00 2007-08 49.794
2008-09 492.757 2008-09 348.00 2008-09 59.003
2009-10 532.042 2009-10 360.20 2009-10 73.255
2010-11 532.694 2010-11 386.60 2010-11 68.918
2011-12 539.950 2011-12 417.60 2011-12 102.853
2012-13 556.402 2012-13 454.60 2012-13 145.785
2013-14 565.765 2013-14 489.40 2013-14 166.857
2014-15 609.179 2014-15 530.40 2014-15 217.783
2015-16 639.230 2015-16 545.90 2015-16 203.949
2016-17 657.868 2016-17 574.30 2016-17 190.953
2017-18 675.400 2017-18 608.00 2017-18 208.249
2018-19 728.718 2018-19 628.00 2018-19 235.348
2019-20 730.874 2019-20 622.20 2019-20 248.537
2020-21 716.084 2020-21 615.40 2020-21 214.995