Parliament Question: Increase in coal production and development of clean coal technology

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COAL RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 216 ANSWERED ON 02.02.2026 INCREASE IN COAL PRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT OF CLEAN COAL TECHNOLOGY 216 # Shri Pradip Kumar Varma: Will the Minister of Coal be pleased to state: (a) the role played by Coal India Limited (CIL), Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) and captive mining in boosting coal production during 2019–2024 and the details of progress made in reducing import dependence; (b) the improvements made in coal supply through environmental/forest clearances, land acquisition, online linkages and logistics reforms; (c) the current status of coal gasification, coal-to-methanol, coal bed methane (CBM) extraction and carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS) and other clean coal technologies; and (d) the outcomes of Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R&R), infrastructure development, land restoration, and afforestation in mining areas? ANSWER MINISTER OF COAL AND MINES (SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY) (a): The country has witnessed a big leap in overall coal production from 730.87 MT in FY 2019-20 to 1047.52 MT in FY 2024-25 with a growth of 43.32%. The coal produced by Coal India Limited (CIL), Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) and Captive & Commercial from 2019-20 is as under: [Figures in Million Tonnes (MT)] Company 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25 CIL 602.13 596.22 622.63 703.20 773.81 781.06 SCCL 64.04 50.58 65.02 67.14 70.02 69.01 Captive & Commercial 64.70 69.29 90.56 122.85 154.00 197.46 Total 730.87 716.09 778.21 893.19 997.83 1047.52 The details of coal import in the country from 2019-20 are given below: - (Figure in MT) Year 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25 Import of Coal 248.54 215.25 208.63 237.67 264.53 243.62 [in Million Tonnes MT)]The import of coal has declined by 7.9% in FY 25 as compared to FY 24 resulting in forex savings of Rs 60681.67 Cr. The import includes high grade metallurgical coal (coking coal) which is not available in the country, and for plants which are mainly designed to use import grade coal. The Government is committed to reduce import of all substitutable grade coal. The focus of the Government is on increasing the domestic production of coal and to reduce non- essential coal imports. The share of coal imports of the total coal consumption in the country has reduced from 26 % in FY 2019-20 to 19.19 % in FY 2024-25. As per the current import policy, coal is kept under Open General License (OGL) and consumers are free to import coal from the source of their choice as per their contractual prices on payment of applicable duty. (b): Improvement in coal supplies by the coal companies are facilitated through construction of dedicated railway line projects and First Mile Connectivity (FMC) Projects. FMC Projects have been deployed for transportation of coal from mines to railway sidings through conveyor belts and loading into railway wagons through rapid loading arrangement, minimizing loading time and manual intervention. Coal supplies through coal linkage auctions, carried out online on an e-auction platform, have transformed the coal linkage allocation mechanism to a transparent process. (c): Currently, there is an operational coal gasification project set up by M/s Jindal Steel Limited (JSL) at Angul district, Odisha. The Government has launched the National Coal Gasification Mission to promote coal/ lignite gasification projects for cleaner use of coal/ lignite and to substitute imports of chemicals, petrochemicals and fertilisers. New projects are being implemented by CIL, SCCL as well as the private sector. Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas (MoP&NG) through notification dated 08.05.2018 issued consolidated terms and conditions for grant of exploration and exploitation rights for Coal Bed Methane (CBM) to Coal India Limited and its Subsidiaries. In line with this, CBM projects have been identified by CIL for CBM development and production in the subsidiary mining lease hold of CIL. Further, two CBM Blocks have been awarded to the consortium of CIL and ONGC. A carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) project approved by CIL has been started with the support of Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Bangalore, as principal implementing agency. (d): By implementing rehabilitation and resettlement (R&R), developing infrastructure for water, roads, schools etc and land restoration as per Mine Closure Plan, Mining operations have become socially acceptable, environmentally sustainable, and operationally stable. *****