Coal India’s 114 mining projects under different stages of implementation

State-owned CIL’s 114 ongoing coal projects, costing ₹20 crore and above, are under different stages of implementation, according to a report.

Implementation and completion of these projects depend upon critical extraneous factors such as possession of land, green clearances and evacuation infrastructure, the Coal Ministry said in its annual report 2020-21.

In 2020, total 34 projects were sanctioned and nine mining projects completed by Coal India Ltd. (CIL), it said.

The coal behemoth took various measures to ensure timely completion of projects.

There was persistent persuasion by CIL with state governments for expediting land authentication in Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.

“Further, land owners are being constantly persuaded to accept compensation and handover land acquired by the company,” the report said.

There is also constant coordination and liaising with State governments for expediting the process of grant of forest clearance, it added.

“State governments have been constantly persuaded by the coal companies at all levels to initiate necessary action for curbing the frequent law and order issues,” it said.

The implementation of the projects is reviewed regularly at the level of CIL and its subsidiaries. The coal ministry also reviews projects costing more than ₹500 crore and having capacity of three million per annum and above in every quarter.

Coal India, which accounts for over 80% of domestic coal output, is eyeing one billion tonne production by 2023-24.