New Delhi, May 24 (FN Bureau) India’s coal production touched 33.94 million tonne (MT) in first half of the month of May, even as supply side constraints continues to be a cause of concern. The total despatches have also gone up by almost 16 per cent during the first half of the month as compared to last year, a data released by the Ministry of Coal showed. During the first half of May 2022, total coal production increased to 33.94 MT achieving a growth of 36.23 per cent over the production of 24.91 MT during the same period last year. According to the data, total coal despatch upto May 15, 2022 stood at 37.18 MT recording an increase of 15.87 per cent during the corresponding period last year. In April, total coal production and despatches increased to 67 MT and 71.77 MT, respectively.
Coal production by state-run Coal India increased 34.44 per cent upto May 15, 2022 to 26.35 MT. The Ministry further stated that the overall dispatches, including non-CIL production, to power sector have increased to 61.69 MT in April 2022as compared to 52.32 MT in April 2021, recording an increase of 17.91 per cent. “The Ministry of Coal is continuing all efforts to further enhance coal production and dispatch to meet the increasing power demand in the country due to sustained economic growth and also the seasonal factors,” it said. Meanwhile, the Coal Consumers Association of India (CCAI) has written a letter to the Ministry of Coal seeking relief from the spiralling prices of coal at e-auctions, which has soared by nearly 800 per cent above the notified prices. “Even as industries struggle to secure the minimum quantities assured to them under fuel supply agreements, CIL is conducting spot e-auctions where spot prices routinely spiralled up to unprecedented levels, putting it out of reach of many consumers who were then forced to purchase less than sufficient quantities,” CCAI Secretary General Subhasri Chaudhuri said.