Coal Production

Coal Production

Subject : Geography

Section : Economic Geography

Context: The coal stock available with the thermal power plants (TPP) has increased from 25.6 Million Tonnes (MT) as on to 29.5 MT from March to June.

Concept:

• The draft Economic Survey 2021-22 projects coal demand to rise in the range of 3 – 1.5 Billion Tonnes by 2030.
• In the current financial year (up to June’22), the country has a growth of about 31% during the same period of last year
• The coal stock available with the thermal power plants (TPP) of the country is monitored on daily basis in Central Electricity Authority (CEA), has increased from 25.6 Million Tonnes (MT) to 29.5 MT April-June 2022
• The Thermal generation in the country during April-June 2022 registered a growth of about 18%.

Steps taken to boost domestic coal production:

• Enactment of Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2021: The Act provides that captive mines owners (other than atomic minerals) may sell up to 50% of their annual mineral (including coal) production in the open market after meeting the requirement of the end use plant linked as prescribed by the Central Government.
• Commercial auction of coal blocks on revenue sharing basis.
• A Monitoring Committee has been constituted under the Chairmanship of Secretary (Coal) with Chief Secretaries from respective Host States, Secretary (MoEF& CC), Coal Controller Organization (CCO) & CMPDIL as members of the Committee.
• Expansion of Mines: MoEF&CC gave a special dispensation under the request of ministry of coal, for consideration of Environment Clearance (EC) from 40% to 50% expansion in coal mining projects, within the existing premises/mine lease area, without additional land acquisition and only those mines, which have already obtained 40% dispensation based on earlier reforms provided by MoEF&CC.