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Coal import increased by 17.9% to 171 million tonnes (mt) in 2013-14 financial year amid the widening demand-supply gap in the country.
Coal import was at 145 million tonnes in 2012-13, according to a coal ministry document.
The import of dry fuel rose at a time when state-run miner Coal India, which accounts for over 80% of the domestic production, missed its output target in the last financial year.
Coal India (CIL) produced 462 million tonnes in the year ended March 31, 2014, against a target of 482 million tonnes. In 2012-13, CIL produced 452.5 million tonnes of coal, short of the goal of 464 million tonnes.
About 24% of coking coal is mostly imported from Australia and is used in the steel sector. While 76% is non-coking coal imported form Indonesia and South Africa for both power an cement sector, the official document said.
As per the 12th Plan documents, coal demand-supply gap is estimated to further rise to 185 mt in 2016-17, it said.
According to Central Electricity Authority (CEA), the power sector which alone imported 80.30 mt of coal in 2013-14 is likely to import 171 MT of fossil fuel by the end of 12th Plan period (2012-17), and 188 MT by 13th Plan, it said.
Coal is the mainstay of India's energy programme as 70% of power generation is dependent on the dry fuel.
