The Ministry of Coal on Friday said that coal production in October 2023 has seen an upturn, registering a production of 78.65 million tonnes (MT), an increase of 18.59% over the 66.32 MT produced in the corresponding month of the previous year. The ministry’s data further highlighted that Coal India Limited (CIL), the state-owned coal mining corporate, reported a production increase of 15.36%, with output rising from 52.94 MT in October last year to 61.07 MT in the current year.

In terms of cumulative production for the fiscal year up to October 2023, there was a substantial increase recorded at 507.02MT, compared to 448.49 MT in the same period of FY’ 22-23, marking a growth of 13.05%. Additionally, coal dispatch has paralleled this upward trend. In October 2023, dispatches surged to 79.30 MT and 18.14 % increase from the 67.13 MT recorded in October 2022. CIL’s dispatch performance also showed a substantial rise, with October 2023 figures reaching 61.65 MT, up from 53.69 MT in the same month last year, reflecting a growth of 14.83%. The cumulative coal dispatch up to October 2023 stood at 541.73 M1, compared to 483.78 MT during the corresponding period in FY’ 22-23, an increase of 11.98%.

The ministry emphasized that the escalation in coal production and dispatch is a step towards ensuring energy self-sufficiency and meeting the country’s future energy requirements. The government remains committed to enhancing coal production and distribution to secure a stable energy supply for the nation’s growth.