Centre Sets a High Target of Coal Production for the FY 2024-2025

The Ministry of Coal has set a target to increase the coal production to the mark of 1.23 billion tonnes by 2024-2025. This includes CIL and Non-CIL coal blocks. This is an ambitious target being set and is in furtherance of securing India’s energy interest of the country. Coal India Ltd are undertaking an integrated planning approach by strengthening the evacuation infrastructure for one Billion tonnes of production and seamless transportation of coal to the end users. There are various unexploited coal resources in the country for instance North Karanpura Coalfield falling within the regime of Central Coalfields Limited is a major coalfield in Jharkhand having a coal resource of about 19 billion tonnes. CCL has projected a production of contribution of about 135 million tonnes by FY22 out of which about 85 million tonnes is likely to be produced from North Karanpura Coalfield from several Greenfield/brownfield coal mining projects. These include Magadh (51 MT), Sanchmitra (20 MT), Magadh (25 MT) etc.

The coal industry is very intricately interconnected with freight railways connectivity. The Barkakana-Datonganj railway line will cover the coal evacuation from the North Karanpura Coalfield. The Shivpur-Kathautia rail line of 49 Kms will cover the coal evacuation via Koderma to the trunk railway line from Howrah to Delhi.