Coal India to increase production to 350 mn tonne

KOLKATA: In an effort to jack up its production to 350 million tonnes at the end of the tenth plan, public sector Coal India Ltd (CIL) has undertaken 92 new projects involving an expenditure of Rs 14,000 crore.

The main focus would be on Sambalpur-based Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd, South Eastern Coalfields Ltd, Central Coalfields and Northern Coalfields from where the bulk of additional production would come, CIL sources told PTI here.

Of the total 92 projects, 72 projects would be completed in the tenth plan itself while the rest might be spilled over to the next plan, the sources said.

MCL with 19 new projects would add 25.8 m.t of coal production, SECL with 15 project would add another 20.75 m.t. while CCL would produce 15 m.t more from eight projects. Apart from these coalfields, other CIL subsidiaries-- NCL, WCL, ECL and BCCL would implement rest of the projects.

The sources said that there would be a production gap of 56 million tonnes of coal at the end of the current plan.

The sources said 31 coal blocks have been identified for various state governments which had evinced interests to develop coal mines in joint sector. A number of meetings had been held to discuss the issue and the next meeting has been scheduled this month.

PTI[ SUNDAY, AUGUST 03, 2003 04:38:14 PM ]