Achieving 1-billion-tonne coal output target by 2022 set to disrupt market

In 2015, the Centre had set one billion tonne coal production target by 2022 for Coal India. The move was in line with the plan to reduce coal imports. However, a slight modification has been made to the plan. The one billion tonne production pertains to any domestic source — be it mines owned by steel companies, captive power units, NTPC, state gencos, etc.

While it bodes well for the country’s coal production, the monopoly national miner, CIL, could see eventual shrinking of some of its coal business. However, sector experts pointed out that if supplementary coal arrangements don’t come,