India’s coal production surged in December 2024, reaching 97.94 million tonnes (MT), a 5.33 percent increase compared to the 92.98 MT produced in December 2023. This growth was driven in part by a significant increase in production from captive and other mines, which saw a 29.61 percent jump, rising from 14.62 MT to 18.95 MT. The cumulative coal production for the fiscal year 2024-25 (up to December 24th) also showed substantial growth, reaching 726.29 MT – a 6.11 percent increase over the 684.45 MT produced during the same period in FY 2023-24.
Coal dispatch figures mirrored this positive trend. December 2024 saw a 6.36 percent increase in coal dispatch, reaching 92.59 MT compared to 87.06 MT in December 2023. Captive and other mines contributed significantly to this growth, with dispatch increasing by 31.83 percent to 18.13 MT. Cumulatively, coal dispatch for FY 2024-25 (up to December 2024) reached 750.75 MT, representing a 5.58 percent increase compared to the 711.07 MT dispatched during the corresponding period of FY 2023-24.
The Ministry of Coal attributed this consistent growth to ongoing initiatives aimed at boosting production and ensuring efficient dispatch to meet the nation’s rising energy demands. This progress, the Ministry stated, contributes to India’s goal of achieving self-reliance in coal (“Atmanirbhar Bharat”).
However, despite the increase in domestic production, India’s coal imports decreased by 3.1 percent during April-October 2024, falling from 154.17 MT to 149.39 MT. This reduction was more pronounced in the Non-Regulated Sector (excluding power), which experienced an 8.8 percent decline during the same period. While India possesses the fifth-largest coal reserves globally, a shortfall persists in specific coal types, such as coking coal and high-grade thermal coal. This necessitates continued imports to support crucial industries like steel production and meet overall energy demands.
Interestingly, despite the reduced coal imports, coal-based power generation saw a 3.87 percent increase from April to October 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. Simultaneously, coal imports for blending purposes by thermal power plants decreased significantly by 19.5 percent during the same period. This suggests improvements in the efficiency and utilization of domestically produced coal.
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