Capacity to rise

Coal India Ltd has planned to raise its production capacity by 12 per cent next year to 486.5 million tonnes. It will also be spending Rs 3,700 crore for setting up 20 coal washeries, with a total capacity of 111 million tonnes. The tenders have been floated. N C Jha, director-technical of CIL, who was here to take part in the company's public offer road show, said the current production capacity of 431 million tonnes would be increased to 460.4 mt this year and 486.5 mt by next year. He said of 142 new projects worth Rs 36,493 crore listed in the 11th plan (to be realised by 2016-17), 77 have been approved, with a total capacity of 185 mt and outlay of nearly Rs 6,000 crore. Of these, 32 have been started.