The Planning Commission has projected that against the estimated
demand for coal by the end of the Tenth Plan (2006-07) of 460.50
million tonnes (M.T.) the domestic supply of coal will be of the
order of 405 M.T. which is likely to result in a demand supply
gap of the order of 55 M.T. The Minister for Coal Shri Kariya
Munda informed the Rajya Sabha that in respect of the projections
for the end of the Eleventh Five Year Plan (2011-12), the Working
Group on Coal and Lignite in its report for the Tenth Plan has
estimated a demand of 620 M.T, and domestic production of 525
M.T. which is likely to result in a demand supply gap of the order
of 95 M.T.
The estimated demand supply gap of 55 M.T.
in the terminal year of the Tenth Plan (2006-07) is likely to
be met through import of coal (estimated at 34 M.T.) and also
increasing the domestic coal production and also having an efficient
demand management system in place.
In order to achieve the production targets
set for the terminal year of the Tenth Plan (2006-07) the Coal
Companies have an action plan approved by the Planning Commission
for incurring capital expenditure of the order of Rs. 16,423 Crore
(including Rs. 14,310 Crore by Coal India Ltd. and Rs. 2113 Crore
by Singareni Collieries Company Ltd.). the Coal Production target
in 2006-07 has been st at 405 M.T. which comprises 350 M.T. from
CIL and 36.13 M.T. from SCCL, and the remaining 18.87 from private
players including captive block holders. Of the envisaged total
production of 386.13 M.T. from CIL and SCCL, CIL has identified
92 new projects which will be taken up during the Tenth Plan which
will contribute about 79.11 M.T. SCCL will implement 17 new projects
for a capacity of 4.13 M.T. In addition to this a number of steps
are being taken to increase productivity from existing mines which
include Inter-alia:
- Increase in mechanisation through introduction of continuous
miners, longwall powered supports in underground mines, planning
open cast mines with higher capacity excavators;
- Scheduled equipment maintenance programmes, utilization
of skilled manpower and also training personnel to handle
capital intensive equipment, offloading certain activities
such as overburden removal, mechanization of Underground Mine
operations and also opting the higher capacity HEMM.
In reply to another question the Minister of
State for Coal Shri Prahlad Singh Patel informed the Rajya Sabha
that in order to augment coal production in the country and to
bridge the gap between demand and supply of coal, the Coal Mines
(Nationalisation) Act, 1973 was amended in 1993 for private participation
in coal mining to the industries engaged in generation of power,
washing of coal obtained from a mine or such other end use as
the Central Government may, by notification, specify. Industries
engaged in production of Iron and Steel were already eligible
under the Act for captive coal mining. Production of Cement was
added in this category in 1996. Considering the coal blocks allocated
so far under the provision, 49 coal blocks stand allocated to
various companies in the public and private sectors as on date.
The private sector is already allowed captive
mining of coal for production of iron and steel. In addition to
this, with effect from 9.6.1993, the Government has also allowed
the private sector to captively mine coal for generation of power,
washing of coal obtained from a mine or for other end uses as
may be notified by the Government from time to time. Mining of
Coal for production of cement has also been permitted by the Government
vide notification dated 15.3.1996. Furthermore, the Coal Mines
(Nationalisation) Amendment Bill, 2000 has been introduced in
the Rajya Sabha on 24.4.2000, which seeks to allow the private
sector Indian companies to commercially mine coal and lignite
without the existing restriction of captive consumption and also
engage in exploration of coal and lignite resources in the country.
This Bill is presently under consideration in Parliament.
This information was given by Shri Kariya Munda,
Minister of Coal in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.
