The government on Monday said the country's dependence on imports to meet thermal coal demand has sharply reduced and stressed that in the next financial year, this demand will be met from Coal India, Singareni Collieries Company Ltd and captive mines.
The power ministry has projected a requirement of 727 million tonnes (MT) of domestic coal for coal-based power generation for 2022-23, Coal Minister Pralhad Joshi said in a reply to a query in the Rajya Sabha.
"India's dependence on imports for meeting thermal coal demand has sharply reduced. In FY23, this demand shall be met from CIL, SCCL and coal production from captive coal blocks," Joshi said.
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Coal India Ltd (CIL) supplied 50.7 MT of coal to the power sector last month, achieving a growth of 24 per cent in comparison to the supply of 40.8 MT in January last fiscal.
Indonesia, Joshi said, has relaxed the export ban and few coal vessels have already departed in the last days of January.
The export ban in the major period of January has provided an opportunity to supply more domestic coal.
The minister further said that there is no shortage of coal in thermal power plants in the country. Even in 2021, coal stocks came down at thermal power plants due to evacuation issues, but there was adequate coal available in the country.
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In 2021-22 (up to January 2022), CIL has supplied coal to the tune of 441.35 MT (provisional).
The total coal stock at the power plants end has increased from 10.82 MT as on October 31, 2021, to 25.31 MT as on January 31, 2022.
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