India has enough coal for 36 days, says Modi government
What's the story
India currently has a stock of 85 million tons (MT) of coal at pitheads, which is enough for 36 days at the current consumption rate of 2.4 MT per day. The Coal Ministry has said that production and supplies at Coal India Limited (CIL) are picking up and will improve further as heavy rains in coal command areas subside.
Supply increase
CIL's coal supply in August FY 2026-27
In August FY 2026-27, CIL supplied 60.60 MT of coal, a 5.50% increase over last year's supplies for the same month.
Supplies to the power sector also rose by 4.5% to 48.46 MT in August this year from last year.
Despite heavy rains in July and August, CIL maintained a steady supply run and currently has a cushion of 76 MT at its pitheads with an additional ready-to-mine exposure of 46 MT.
Production boost
Easing rainfall improves ground conditions
The easing rainfall has improved ground conditions, making it easier to transfer, handle, and dispatch freshly mined coal through Coal Handling Plants (CHPs).
CIL's average daily dispatch to the power sector improved from around 1.35 MT over first three days of September to 1.5 MT on September 4.
The government also noted an increase in Overburden Removal, from average daily OBR of 2.5 million cubic meters during first three days of September to 4.1 million cubic meters on September 4.
Supply ramp-up
CIL subsidiaries strengthen CHP-Silo systems
To ensure a smooth flow of coal, CIL subsidiaries are using this period to strengthen their CHP-Silo systems.
With the dry season approaching, rail tracks at loading points and yards are being cleared.
Companies such as Northern Coalfields Limited (NCL) and South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL) have also added additional crushing capacity that will be beneficial in the coming days.