Coal supply by CIL to power sector rises 23% in Apr-Oct

New Delhi: The dispatch of coal to the power sector by state-owned CIL rose 22.7 per cent to 291.72 million tonne (MT) in the first seven months of the ongoing fiscal year.

Coal India Ltd (CIL) had dispatched 237.75 MT of coal to the power sector in April-October period of 2020-21, according to monthly summary for the Cabinet for October. The supply of coal to the power sector by CIL during the last month also increased 21.7 per cent to 47.67 MT, over 39.17 MT in the year-ago period, it said.

The fuel supply by Singareni Collieries Company Ltd (SCCL) to the sector in the seven months increased 66 per cent to 30.67 MT as against 18.47 MT in the year-ago period. The coal supply by SCCL to the power sector during last month increased 41.7 per cent to 4.71 MT from 3.32 MT in the corresponding month of the previous fiscal year. Coal India accounts for over 80 per cent of the domestic coal output.

The company, which is eyeing one billion tonne of fuel output by 2023-24, will pump over Rs 1.22 lakh crore in projects related to coal evacuation, exploration and clean coal technologies by 2023-24. Out of this proposed spend, CIL has planned to invest Rs 32,696 crore on coal evacuation, Rs 25,117 crore on mine infrastructure and Rs 29,461 crore on project development by 2023-24. The company will also invest Rs 32,199 crore on diversification and clean coal technologies, Rs 1,495 crore on social infrastructure and Rs 1,893 crore on exploration works.

The investment of Rs 1.22 lakh crore will be utilised to fund a total of 500 projects.