India’s total coal production touched 661.54 lakh tonnes in the month of April, even as the country grappled with power shortages amid rising temperatures. This includes production by Coal India Ltd (CIL) and its subsidiaries at 534.7 lakh tonnes, Singareni Colleries Company Ltd (SCCL) at 53.23 lakh tonnes, and captive mines at 73.61 lakh tonnes in April.
Despite the rise in coal production, India is facing a severe power crunch in various parts of the country.
Coal India achieved its highest-ever production of 534.7 lakh tonne in April this year, indicating a 6.02% growth. The previous high was recorded during April, 2019, having attained a production of 450.29 lakh tonnes. Similarly, coal offtake touched the figure of 570.55 lakh tonnes in April, its highest ever, surpassing its record set in April, 2021.
According to ministry of coal’s data, while the total offtake of the coal sector was 708.68 lakh tonnes during the month, the power sector offtake touched the figure of 617.2 lakh tonnes in April. At the same time, offtake to the power sector from Coal India alone stood at 497.39 lakh tonnes.
The total coal production during the financial year 2021-22 was 7,770.23 lakh tonnes (provisional), compared to 7,160 lakh tonnes in 2020-21, recording a growth of 8.55%, according to the ministry. CIL’s production had gone up by 4.43%, from 5,960.24 lakh tonnes in 2020-21 to 6,220.64 lakh tonnes during the fiscal 2021-22.
Singareni Collieries Company Ltd (SCCL), with an increase of 28.55% growth, produced 650.02 lakh tonnes during 2021-22, compared to 500.58 lakh tonnes in the previous year. Coal production of captive mines has gone up to 890.57 lakh tonnes, and during 2020-21, the same was only at 690.18 lakh tonnes.
Total coal dispatch during 2021-22 touched the figure of 8,180.04 lakh tonnes against the figure of 6,900.71 lakh tonnes the previous year, an increase of 18.43%. During the period, CIL dispatched 6610.85 lakh tonnes of coal against 2020-21 figure of 5,730.80 lakh tonnes.
