New Delhi: The total coal production from India’s captive and commercial mines jumped by as much as 34.2 per cent to touch 131.05 million tonnes (MT) between April 1 and December 31, 2024, from 97.665 MT in the same period last year, the Coal Ministry said on Thursday.
December 2024 witnessed the highest-ever monthly coal production from captive and commercial mines, with 18.40 MT of coal produced during the month. This achievement surpasses all previous records, with a daily average production of 0.594 MT, marking a 30.75 per cent increase from the daily average of 0.445 MT in December 2023, according to the official statement.
Similarly, the dispatch of coal from captive and commercial mines also reached an all-time high in December 2024, with 17.67 MT of coal dispatched during the month. This represents a 33.20 per cent increase from the daily average of 0.426 MT in December 2023, with a daily average dispatch of 0.570 MT.
The total dispatch from captive and commercial mines between April 1 and December 31, 2024, reached 137.34 MT, an increase of 33.95 per cent from 102.53 MT in the same period last year.
Commercial mining was introduced as part of the economic reform process to attract more investment and better technology in the mining sector.
The Ministry of Coal successfully auctioned another 9 mines in November 2024 as part of the 10th Round of Commercial Coal Mine Auctions.
These mines are expected to generate an annual revenue of around Rs 1,446 crore, likely to attract a capital investment of around Rs 2,115 crore, and create 19,063 employment opportunities.
The nine mines hold a combined geological reserve of approximately 3,998.73 million tonnes. The cumulative Peak Rated Capacity (PRC) of these mines stands at 14.10 MTPA, excluding partially explored coal mines, according to the official statement.
While three of these coal mines are in Jharkhand, there are two each in Odisha, Chhatisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh.
The Ministry of Coal launched the 10th round of coal mine auctions for commercial mining on June 21, 2024. In the forward auctions, a total of nine coal mines were successfully auctioned, comprising three fully explored mines and six partially explored coal mines.
The auctions witnessed intense competition, achieving an average revenue share of 17.44 per cent. This reflects the sustained interest of industries in the coal sector and the Ministry’s efforts to provide a stable and transparent policy framework, the statement added.
Since the inception of commercial coal mining in 2020, a total of 113 coal mines have been auctioned successfully, with a production capacity of 257.60 million tonnes per year. Upon operationalisation, these mines will immensely contribute to enhancing domestic coal production and in making the country self-reliant in the coal sector.
Collectively, these mines are expected to generate annual revenue of Rs 35,437 crore, capital investment of Rs 38,641 crore, and provide employment for 3,48,268 people in coal-bearing regions, the statement said.
(IANS)
