SME Times News Bureau | 06 Apr, 2015
Expressing confidence that the projected requirement of
1.5 billion tonnes of coal by 2020 can be met domestically in the country,
union Coal Secretary Anil Swarup on Sunday said the ministry has drawn
extensive "minewise plans" to step up production for state-owned Coal
India Ltd (CIL).
"CIL will be meeting the one billion tonne of coal produce target by 2020
and we have drawn up extensive plans on the roadmap. For the rest 50 million
coal output target, it can be met with the existing mines which are being put
up for auction," Swarup said on the sidelines of an event organised here
by the Coal Consumers' Association of India (CCAI).
According to him, the 204 blocks which are in the process of being auctioned to
the "highest bidder" in the "best transparent manner
possible" have a total peak capacity of 800-900 million tonnes.
"I think if CIL can meet the target and the optimal output comes in from
the 204 blocks, we can domestically meet the projected demand with ease,"
said Swarup.
CIL has been given a target of a minimum coal output of 908 million tonnes by
2020.
The top coal official is for discouraging coal imports and holds that the coal
demand in India can be met domestically by streamlining processes and bringing
in transparency in the system.
"We have drawn up minewise plans for CIL right from the mining stage to
the distribution stage," he said.
Commenting about the quality of coal, Swarup said CIL, which enjoys practical
monopoly on pricing of coal and its gradations, needs to come to an
"understanding" with consumers to frame quality guidelines and norms
which will be acceptable to both the state-run behemoth and consumers equally.
"We need a washery in every coal block to facilitate the coal gradation
process," he said.