India’s coal production capacity has seen a notable increase with the start of two new coal mines in January 2024, bringing the total number of operational coal mines to 53, the ministry of coal said. This marks a substantial growth from the 47 producing captive and commercial coal mines recorded as of March 31, 2023.
The current fiscal year has witnessed the commencement of six new coal mines, significantly contributing to the increase in coal mining capacity. Of the 53 mines, 33 are dedicated to captive power consumption, 12 cater to the Non-Regulated Sector’s captive consumption, and eight are for commercial sale of coal.
In January 2024 alone, the coal production from these mines reached approximately 14.30 million tonnes (MT), registering a 29% increase from the 11.06 MT produced in the same month last year. Additionally, coal dispatch for January 2024 was recorded at 12.86 MT, marking a 27% rise from the 10.12 MT dispatched in January 2023.
The ten-month period from April 1, 2023, to January 31, 2024, has seen a remarkable growth in coal production and dispatch from captive and commercial coal blocks.
The production during this period stood at around 112 MT, while the dispatch was about 116 MT, indicating year-on-year growth of approximately 26% and 31%, respectively, from the same period in FY 2022-23. The total coal production from captive and commercial mines in FY2022-23 was 116.55 MT.
