Coal mines allocated and auctioned under the government's Nominated Authority (NA) framework -- Talabira II & III Open Cast Coal Mine -- in Odisha achieved record production and dispatch in FY26, producing 19.14 MT and dispatching 17.69 MT, an official statement said on Monday.

The Central government’s efforts to strengthen domestic coal production and energy security are being reinforced through coal mines allocated and auctioned under the Nominated Authority (NA) framework, the statement from the Ministry of Coal said.

Talabira II & III Open Cast Coal Mine, allocated to NLC India Ltd. on May 2, 2016 under this framework, demonstrated 'strong performance across production, dispatch, technology adoption, safety, environmental management, employment and community development'.

Located across Sambalpur and Jharsuguda districts, the mine has emerged as a significant contributor to domestic coal availability. It recorded year‑on‑year production growth of 11.28 per cent, its highest‑ever daily output of 126,138.07 tonnes on March 21, 2026 and a highest‑ever monthly production of 3.39 MT in March 2026, the statement said.

Coal from Talabira II & III supports power-generating facilities across several States, including NTPC Darlipali, NTPC Gadarwara, NTPC Khargone, NTPC Kudgi and other power plants in Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.

The mine has maintained a sustained growth trajectory since commencement of production, with cumulative coal production reaching 72.23 MT and cumulative dispatch reaching 70.89 MT up to 14 August 2026.

"This performance illustrates the tangible outcomes possible through the operationalisation of coal resources allocated under the Government’s coal-block allocation framework," the statement noted.

The ministry said that technology has been a key enabler of operational efficiency at Talabira II & III.

The Digital Logistics Management System (DLMS) enables end-to-end digital monitoring of coal transportation and dispatch through RFID-based vehicle verification, AI-enabled cameras and technology-enabled entry and exit gates.

Implementation of DLMS reduced average entry-gate processing time of a vehicle from 1.42 minutes to 0.54 minutes and tare weighment time from 1.34 minutes to 0.48 minutes.

The mine also deploys surface miners with dust-suppression systems, GPS-based fleet management and geo-fencing, 3D Terrestrial Laser Scanning with GNSS receivers, drone-based surveying, mechanised truck loading, Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations and CCTV surveillance.

Safety remains a key component of the mine’s performance, with nil fatal accidents since inception. Safety measures include a Safety Management Plan, improved haul-road and traffic management, PPE compliance, strengthened blasting procedures, safety training and near-miss reporting through the ARAN Safety App.

Talabira II & III supports 3,277 employment opportunities, comprising 1,277 direct and approximately 2,000 indirect employment opportunities through transportation and allied activities.