PM Modi reviews coal mining projects

New Delhi: Enhancing coal output, expediting crucial rail links for evacuation and status of coal mining projects, involving big-ticket investment figured prominently in the review meeting held by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The government is eyeing over one billion tonnes of coal production by 2020.

Prime Minister yesterday reviewed infrastructure sectors, including coal.

"The Prime Minister was apprised about the current status of domestic coal production, imports of coal and the three crucial rail links for evacuation of coal," a source privy to the development said.

The current status of the coal mining projects involving big-ticket investment was also discussed during the meeting, the source said.

The three rail corridors are: Tori-Shivpuri-Kathotia in North Karanpura, Jharkhand; Bhupdeopur-Korichhaapar to Mand Raigadh mines in Chhattisgarh; and Barpali-Jharsuguda in IB Valley, Odisha, which are under different phases of development.

The government had earlier said Barpali-Jharsuguda railway link to facilitate faster movement of coal is ahead of schedule and will be ready by July next year.

Coal Secretary Anil Swarup yesterday tweeted that DGCI&S data reveals a "reduction in coal imports by 4.56 percent during April-October 2015 over April-October 2014. In value terms, it is Rs 8,287 crore less."

India imported 212.103 MT of dry fuel worth over Rs 1 lakh crore in the last fiscal, provisional coal statistics of 2014-15 released by the Coal Ministry said.

The government has set a production target of 550 million tonnes for Coal India for the current fiscal.