With almost half of the country’s thermal power stations left with coal inventory of less than seven days, the Coal Ministry has called a meeting to review the fuel position at the critical power stations. Notably, the government had earlier this month underscored that coal supply was in comfortable position and dry-fuel based power production has increased by about 22% in the three months of Narendra Modi-led government.
However, Power and Coal Minister Piyush Goyal highlighted that coal shortage at power stations was due to stocks being consumed faster for higher electricity generation. He also unveiled that the government was making all efforts to augment the coal production and expediting the completion of three critical rail lines in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Odisha which will potentially yield 60 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) by 2017-18 and up to 200 MT by 2021-22. Reports suggest that state-owned Coal India will spend Rs 5,000 crore to purchase 250 rail rakes for faster evacuation of dry fuel from mines.