Ministry of Coal achieves allocations of 200 Coal Blocks

New Delhi [India] June 17 (ANI): The Ministry of Coal has achieved a significant milestone with the allocation of its 200th Coal Mine, underscoring its relentless drive to transform India's coal sector, the Ministry said in a release on Tuesday.

The release added that the issuance of the allocation order for the Marwatola-II coal block to Singhal Business Private Limited reaffirms the Ministry's commitment to advancing sectoral reforms, fostering private participation, and bolstering national self-reliance in coal production.

The release added that with this achievement, the Ministry continues to pave the way for a more resilient, transparent, and future-ready coal ecosystem.

On this occasion, the Nominated Authority extended sincere gratitude to industry stakeholders whose continued engagement and confidence have played a vital role in achieving this landmark. The Nominated Authority reaffirmed the Ministry's steadfast commitment to nurturing an environment conducive to investment, reducing procedural impediments, and enabling the expeditious operationalisation of coal blocks across the country.

This milestone, while numeric in its appearance, holds far deeper significance. It reflects the Ministry's visionary approach--one that seeks not only to enhance domestic coal production but also to rebalance the national energy matrix by reducing dependence on imports and strengthening long-term energy security, the Ministry added.

Earlier in May, the Ministry informed that India's coal imports fell by 7.9 per cent, totalling 243.62 million tonnes (MT), compared to 264.53 MT during the just-concluded financial year 2024-25.

The coal ministry said this reduction resulted in foreign exchange savings of approximately USD 7.93 billion (Rs 60,681.67 crore).

Notably, the Non-Regulated Sector, excluding the power sector, experienced a more significant decline, with imports dropping by 8.95 per cent year over year.

Although coal-based power generation grew by 3.04 per cent in 2024-25 compared to the previous fiscal year, imports for blending by thermal power plants sharply decreased by 41.4 per cent.

The Government of India has implemented several initiatives, including commercial coal mining and mission coking coal, to enhance domestic coal production and reduce imports.

These efforts have also led to an encouraging 5 per cent growth in coal output during 2024-25 compared to 2023-24. (ANI)

(The story has come from a syndicated feed and has not been edited by the Tribune Staff.)