New Delhi: Coal India, country's largest coal producer, has produced 9 percent more coal in August against the corresponding month last year, a record set by it in many years, which has helped step up coal-based power generation by 15.8 percent in April-June quarter this fiscal.
Coal Minister Piyush Goyal today said the state-owned corporation has produced 34.539 million tonnes (MT) of coal in August this year, an increase of 9 percent of 31.676 MT coal produced by it in August 2013.
He said coal-based power generation in the country has increased by 15.8 percent in the quarter ending July this year, against the corresponding quarter of last year.
This, he said, has helped compensate for the reduced power produced in hydel power plants due to deficient rainfall this year.
Goyal said there has also been a 9.6 percent increase in coal consumption during the April-July quarter as coal stocks have been utilised for increasing power production in the country amid its shortage.
The Minister said to rationalise coal linkages in the country for optimum utilisation of resources, a Committee has been formed and a study is being instituted in this regard by the Railways and a private consultant.
To increase power production, solar power plants are being encouraged and use of solar pumps for agriculture purposes being put to use.
CIL, which accounts for 80 percent of domestic coal production, missed its output target of 482 MT for 2013-14, producing 462 MT during the period.
Production fell short of target because of various reasons, including lack of environment clearance to coal mining projects.
In 2012-13, the company produced 452.5 MT of coal, falling short of the 464 MT target.
Coal India's production target for 2014-15 has been set at 507 MT.
