Coal dispatches to the power sector have risen by 6% to 324.5 million tonnes during the April-August period of the current fiscal year, according to a statement from the Ministry of Coal. In comparison, coal dispatches to the power sector during the same period last year were 306.7 million tonnes. Furthermore, the overall coal stock at mines, thermal power plants, and transit locations stood at 86 million tonnes as of August 31, marking a 25% increase from the 68.76 million tonnes recorded a year ago. Importantly, thermal coal imports for blending saw a significant decline of 53.13% to 9 million tonnes in the April-August period, down from 19.2 million tonnes in the previous year, demonstrating the government's commitment to prioritize domestic coal production and self-sufficiency in coal supply. Thermal power generation also increased by 6.58% to 517.34 billion units (BU) during April-August 2023, compared to 485.42 BU in the same period last year.