The Coal Ministry has stated that it anticipates dispatching over 1 billion tonnes (bt) of coal in the current fiscal year, with half of this target already achieved by October 17th. The Ministry has set a goal of producing and dispatching 1,012 million tonnes (mt) of coal to consumers in FY24, which includes power plants and non-regulated sector industries such as steel and sponge iron.

Despite the monsoon season, the Ministry has managed to dispatch 500 mt of coal by October 17, 2023, which is an exceptional achievement for the first half of the year. This year, the milestone of 500 mt in coal dispatch was reached 23 days earlier than in FY23 when it was achieved on November 9, 2022.

Out of the 500 mt of coal dispatched, 416.57 mt is intended for the power sector, and 84.77 mt is designated for non-regulated sector (NRS) industries. Year-on-year, there has been a 7.27 percent growth in coal transport to the power sector and a remarkable 38.02 percent growth in transport to NRS. In the previous fiscal year, as of March 31, 2023, 893.19 mt of coal was dispatched.

Notably, this historic achievement of the Coal Ministry is the result of contributions from Coal India, Singareni Collieries Company, and captive/commercial mines.