Executive Summary:
This document presents the Ministry of Coal's response to questions regarding coal production and imports in India, with a focus on Chhattisgarh, Northern Coalfields Limited (NCL), and South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL). It details coal production statistics for the past three years (2022-23 to 2024-25), coal import quantities, and initiatives to reduce import dependence. The document also highlights production increases in NCL and SECL.
Key Points / Main Content:
Coal Production:
* All India coal production: 893.191 MT (2022-23), 997.826 MT (2023-24), 1047.50 MT (2024-25 Provisional).
* Chhattisgarh coal production: 184.895 MT (2022-23), 207.255 MT (2023-24), 204.960 MT (2024-25 Provisional).
Coal Imports:
* Total coal imported: 237.668 MT (2022-23), 264.531 MT (2023-24), 243.622 MT (2024-25 Provisional).
Initiatives to Reduce Coal Import Dependency:
* Increased Annual Contracted Quantity (ACQ) up to 100% of normative requirement.
* Revised tenure of coking coal linkages in Non-Regulated Sector (NRS) linkage auction up to 30 years.
* Coal companies to meet full Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) requirements of existing linkage holders in the Power Sector.
* Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) constituted to promote coal import substitution.
* Coal Import Monitoring System (CIMS) portal introduced for compulsory registration of coal imports.
* Efforts to ensure more domestic coal supplies to substitute imported coal.
* Strategy Paper on Coal Import Substitution released.
* New subsector, Steel using Coking coal, created in March 2024 under the NRS linkage auctions.
* Coking Coal Mission launched to enhance coking coal supply.
* Imported Coal Based (ICB) Plants allowed to secure coal under the Revised SHAKTI Policy, 2025.
* Existing Fuel Supply Agreement (FSA) holders allowed to secure additional coal under the Revised SHAKTI Policy, 2025 after procuring 100% of ACQ.
NCL and SECL Production:
* NCL coal production: 131.169 MT (2022-23), 136.148 MT (2023-24), 139.00 MT (2024-25 Provisional).
* SECL (including Gare Palma IV/23) coal production: 167.006 MT (2022-23), 187.536 MT (2023-24), 167.487 MT (2024-25 Provisional).
Impact Analysis:
Power Sector:
* Impact: Increased domestic coal supply to meet PPA requirements, potentially reducing reliance on imported coal and benefiting from the Revised SHAKTI Policy, 2025.
* Action Required: Procure 100% of ACQ under existing FSA to be eligible to secure additional coal under the Revised SHAKTI Policy, 2025.
Steel Sector:
* Impact: Increased domestic coking coal consumption and availability of washed coking coal due to the new subsector under NRS linkage auctions and the Coking Coal Mission.
* Action Required: Participate in NRS linkage auctions to secure coking coal supply.
Coal Companies:
* Impact: Required to increase domestic coal production and supply to reduce import dependency.
* Action Required: Increase ACQ, meet full PPA requirements, and enhance coking coal production.
Government of India (Ministry of Coal):
* Impact: Oversight and implementation of policies to reduce coal import dependency and monitor coal imports through the CIMS portal.
* Action Required: Continue monitoring coal imports, implement policies to promote domestic production, and track the effectiveness of import substitution initiatives.
Imported Coal Based (ICB) Plants:
* Impact: Access to domestic coal under the Revised SHAKTI Policy, 2025, potentially reducing reliance on imported coal.
* Action Required: Secure coal under the Revised SHAKTI Policy, 2025.
Key Entities Referenced
Chhattisgarh: A state in India, specifically mentioned in relation to coal production.
Northern Coalfields Limited (NCL): A coal producing company operating in Singrauli district of Madhya Pradesh.
South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL): A coal producing company operating in Shahdol district of Madhya Pradesh.
Madhya Pradesh: A state in India where Northern Coalfields Limited (NCL) and South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL) operate.
Revised SHAKTI Policy, 2025: A policy related to securing coal for Imported Coal Based (ICB) Plants and existing Fuel Supply Agreement (FSA) holders.
Coking Coal Mission: An initiative launched to enhance coking coal supply to the Steel Sector to reduce imports of coking coal.
Inter Ministerial Committee (IMC): A committee constituted in the Ministry of Coal on 29.05.2020 for the purpose of coal import substitution.
Coal Import Monitoring System (CIMS) Portal: A portal for compulsory registration related to coal imports.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF COAL
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 504
TO BE ANSWERED ON 23.07.2025
Coal Production
†504. Shri Radheshyam Rathiya:
Shri Parbhubhai Nagarbhai Vasava:
Shri Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa:
Shri Praveen Patel:
Shri Shankar Lalwani:
Shri Mahesh Kashyap:
Shri Ashok Kumar Rawat:
Shri Bibhu Prasad Tarai:
Dr. Rajesh Mishra:
Will the Minister of COAL be pleased to state:
(a) the total quantum of coal produced by the country particularly in Chhattisgarh during the
last three years including the financial year 2024-25 along with the comparison thereof to the
previous financial year;
(b) the total quantum of coal imported during the last three years;
(c) the details of the initiatives taken/likely to be taken by the Government to reduce
dependence upon coal imports;
(d) whether there has been an increase in production of coal in the Northern Coalfields Limited
(NCL) operating in Singrauli district of Madhya Pradesh and if so, the details thereof; and
(e) whether there has been an increase in production of coal in the South Eastern Coalfields
Limited (SECL) operating in Shahdol district of Madhya Pradesh and if so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF COAL AND MINES
(SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY)
(a): The year-wise coal production in the country and in the state of Chhattisgarh during the
last three years is given below:
[Figures in Million Tonnes]
Year All India Production Production in the State of Chhattisgarh
2022-23 893.191 184.895
2023-24 997.826 207.255
2024-25
1047.50 204.960
(Provisional)
(b): The total quantity of coal imported during the last three years is as under:
[Figures in Million Tonnes]
Year Total
2022-23 237.668
2023-24 264.531
2024-25
243.622
(Provisional)(c): The initiatives taken by the Government to reduce coal import dependency are as
under:
i. The Annual Contracted Quantity (ACQ) has been increased upto 100% of the
normative requirement, in the cases where the ACQ was either reduced to 90% of
normative requirement (non-coastal power plants) or where the ACQ was reduced to
70% of normative requirement (coastal power plants). Increase in the ACQ would result
in more domestic coal supplies, thereby, reducing the import dependency.
ii. Vide amendment to the Non-Regulated Sector (NRS) linkage auction policy introduced
in 2020, the tenure of coking coal linkages in the NRS linkage auction has been revised
for a period upto 30 years. Increase in tenure of coking coal linkages in the NRS linkage
auction for a period upto 30 years is expected to have a positive impact towards coal
imports substitution.
iii. Government has decided in 2022 that coal to meet the full Power Purchase Agreement
(PPA) requirement of all the existing linkage holders of Power Sector shall be made
available by the coal companies irrespective of the trigger level and ACQ levels. This
decision of the Government of meeting the full PPA requirement of the linkage holders
of the Power Sector is expected to reduce dependence on imports.
iv. An Inter - Ministerial Committee (IMC) was constituted in the Ministry of Coal on
29.05.2020 for the purpose of coal import substitution. On directions of IMC, an Import
Data System has been developed by Ministry of Coal to enable the Ministry to track
import of coal. As per Foreign Trade Policy governing import of goods, coal is freely
importable without any restrictions. However, with effect from December, 2020, the
same has been revised from “Free” to “Free subject to compulsory registration in Coal
Import Monitoring System (CIMS) Portal”.
v. Efforts are being made on a continuous basis to ensure more domestic supplies of coal.
Thus, the entire substitutable imported coal is expected to be met by the country and no
import other than the very essential should happen. A Strategy Paper on Coal Import
Substitution has been released.
vi. A new sub-sector ‘Steel using Coking coal through WDO route’ has been created in
March, 2024 under the NRS linkage auctions which will lead to increase in the domestic
coking coal consumption and also increase availability of washed coking coal in the
country, thereby, reducing coking coal imports.
vii. Coking Coal Mission has been launched to enhance coking coal supply to the Steel
Sector to reduce imports of coking coal. Initiatives have been taken to enhance coking
coal production.
viii. Imported Coal Based (ICB) Plants have been allowed to secure coal under the Revised
SHAKTI Policy, 2025. The coal availability for ICB Plants under this Policy is
expected to reduce dependence of these ICB plants on imported coal.
ix. Existing Fuel Supply Agreement (FSA) holders have been allowed to secure coal under
the Revised SHAKTI Policy, 2025 after procuring 100% of the ACQ coal under
existing FSA. Coal availability beyond the ACQ to existing FSA holders will benefit
the power producers to meet the full requirement of the power plants.
(d) & (e): The year-wise coal production in Northern Coalfields Limited (NCL) and South
Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL) (including Gare Palma-IV/2&3) during the last three years
is given below:
[Figures in Million Tonnes]
Year NCL SECL (including Gare Palma-IV/2&3)
2022-23 131.169 167.006
2023-24 136.148 187.536
2024-25 (Provisional) 139.00 167.487
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