Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL), a subsidiary of Coal India Ltd (CIL), aims to produce 103 million tonne of coal in the current fiscal, which is three per cent (three million tonne) more than the output of last year.
The Union coal ministry had fixed a target of 106 MT for MCL in 2011-12.
Though the company may not reach the assigned target, it is expected to end the year with a higher than last year’s production.
If achieved, this is commending performance in the backdrop of downward revision of overall target of umbrella company, CIL from initial 452 MT to 440 MT for the current year. CIL accounts for about 85 per cent of the country’s coal ouput.
According to official sources, MCL, comprising the coalfields located in Orissa, was trailing behind last year’s production by 1.3 per cent till the end of last month. It produced 78.87 MT against the output of 79.88 MT achieved by January end, 2011.
Ironically, Talcher coalfield, which is the largest of two coalfields under MCL, has registered a negative growth of six per cent by the end of last month. The coalfield produced 39.21 MT as against the figure of 41.65 MT achieved during the same period last year. The target was 47.17 MT.
Even Jaganath area, one of the biggest mines of MCL, lagged behind last year’s output by five per cent. It produced 15.83 MT as against the last year’s 16.68 MT while the target was 18.16 MT by the end of January.
On the other hand IB valley field including Basundhara area in Sundergarh district has crossed target by January end. It produced of 39.96 MT as against the target of 37.51 T.
Animesh Nandan Sahay, the chairman cum managing director of MCL is hopeful to achieve minimum three per cent growth on the last year production of 100.28 MT.
“This year, everything was on track till unprecedented rain during monsoon affected coal output drastically. Besides, frequent agitations by the local villagers caused disruptions in mining operation and hit our growth plan.
Now we are working on war footing to step up coal production in the remaining two months to reach 103 to 104 million tonne by the end of current financial year,” Sahay added.
