Coal India's plans to more than double output to one billion tonnes by 2020 depend largely on two of its subsidiaries, Mahanadi Coalfields and South Eastern Coalfields, which will contribute nearly half of the targeted production. It is, therefore, imperative for the state-run miner to ramp up production at these companies and complete the three critical railway lines that will provide transport linkages to its mines.
According to plans firmed up by Coal India along with the Union coal ministry, Mahanadi Coalfields will produce 250 million tonnes of coal while South Eastern Coalfields will produce 240 million tonnes by 2020.
The targeted output at the other subsidiaries will be much less -Central Coalfields is slated to produce 133 million tonnes, Northern Coalfields 110 million tonnes, Eastern Coalfields 62 million tonnes, Western Coalfields 60 million tonnes and Bharat Coking Coal 53 million tonnes. The total output envisaged for the subsidiaries is about 900 million tonnes and Coal India is in the process of firming up project plans for the remaining 100 million tonnes. Its plans for each of the subsidiaries are in place, though, and it also envisages opening up 70-100 mines to achieve the 2020 target. The miner produced 494 million tonnes of coal in 2014-15. The three railway lines that are critical to the 2020 plans will provide linkages to Central Coalfields in Jharkhand, Mahanadi Coalfields in Odisha and South Eastern Coalfields in Chhattisgarh. Coal India plans to increase production from these subsidiaries in sync with the transport capacities of these three lines. To monitor and speed up the commissioning of these three rail tracks, the miner has floated special purpose vehicles in tripartite partnerships between the ministry of railways, the state governments and Coal India. According to a vision statement prepared by Coal India, its success in meeting the target will also depend on switching to full mechanisation and adoption of the latest technology, large-scale contract mining, upgrading skills of employees and deployment of sufficient manpower, speedy land acquisition, faster environment clearances and speedy state-level clearances.
Coal India’s Underground Output
Declines 3% in FY15
State-run Coal India has reported underground production from its mines at 35.047 million tonnes (MT) for financial year 2014-15, a 2.9 per cent drop from the targeted 507 million tonnes.
The production of the dry fuel from Coal India’s mine in 2013-14 was 36.113 million tonnes, according to government data.
The output of raw coal from underground mines in 2012-13 was 37.776 MT, it said, adding that the target for the ongoing fiscal year is fixed at 38.56 MT.
“The target of coal production of Coal India (CIL) for 2015-16 is fixed at 38.56 MT for underground mines and an exercise has also been carried out by CIL to prepare a roadmap for achieving a production level of 52.20 MT by 2019-20,” it further said.
The Coal Ministry had earlier asked CIL for a detailed subsidiary-wise action plan for improving the output from its underground mines.
Following it, CIL invited bids from both global and domestic companies for providing consultancy for study on underground coal mining in the PSU.
The Coal Ministry had also asked CIL for reasons for less production from underground mines where huge manpower has been deployed.
The ministry also asked the Maharatna firm, which accounts for over 80 per cent of the domestic coal production, for figures of last 10 years for underground and opencast separately, pertaining to production and manpower. CIL operates 429 mines, out of which 231 are underground mines.
According to plans firmed up by Coal India along with the Union coal ministry, Mahanadi Coalfields will produce 250 million tonnes of coal while South Eastern Coalfields will produce 240 million tonnes by 2020.
The targeted output at the other subsidiaries will be much less -Central Coalfields is slated to produce 133 million tonnes, Northern Coalfields 110 million tonnes, Eastern Coalfields 62 million tonnes, Western Coalfields 60 million tonnes and Bharat Coking Coal 53 million tonnes. The total output envisaged for the subsidiaries is about 900 million tonnes and Coal India is in the process of firming up project plans for the remaining 100 million tonnes. Its plans for each of the subsidiaries are in place, though, and it also envisages opening up 70-100 mines to achieve the 2020 target. The miner produced 494 million tonnes of coal in 2014-15. The three railway lines that are critical to the 2020 plans will provide linkages to Central Coalfields in Jharkhand, Mahanadi Coalfields in Odisha and South Eastern Coalfields in Chhattisgarh. Coal India plans to increase production from these subsidiaries in sync with the transport capacities of these three lines. To monitor and speed up the commissioning of these three rail tracks, the miner has floated special purpose vehicles in tripartite partnerships between the ministry of railways, the state governments and Coal India. According to a vision statement prepared by Coal India, its success in meeting the target will also depend on switching to full mechanisation and adoption of the latest technology, large-scale contract mining, upgrading skills of employees and deployment of sufficient manpower, speedy land acquisition, faster environment clearances and speedy state-level clearances.
Coal India’s Underground Output
Declines 3% in FY15
State-run Coal India has reported underground production from its mines at 35.047 million tonnes (MT) for financial year 2014-15, a 2.9 per cent drop from the targeted 507 million tonnes.
The production of the dry fuel from Coal India’s mine in 2013-14 was 36.113 million tonnes, according to government data.
The output of raw coal from underground mines in 2012-13 was 37.776 MT, it said, adding that the target for the ongoing fiscal year is fixed at 38.56 MT.
“The target of coal production of Coal India (CIL) for 2015-16 is fixed at 38.56 MT for underground mines and an exercise has also been carried out by CIL to prepare a roadmap for achieving a production level of 52.20 MT by 2019-20,” it further said.
The Coal Ministry had earlier asked CIL for a detailed subsidiary-wise action plan for improving the output from its underground mines.
Following it, CIL invited bids from both global and domestic companies for providing consultancy for study on underground coal mining in the PSU.
The Coal Ministry had also asked CIL for reasons for less production from underground mines where huge manpower has been deployed.
The ministry also asked the Maharatna firm, which accounts for over 80 per cent of the domestic coal production, for figures of last 10 years for underground and opencast separately, pertaining to production and manpower. CIL operates 429 mines, out of which 231 are underground mines.
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