Coal ministry powers world class quality control app

The Ministry of Coal, in association with the Maharatna PSU Coal India Limited (CIL) developed UTTAM, aims to provide an App for all citizens and coal consumers to monitor the process of Third Party Sampling of coal across CIL subsidiaries. The App also ensures accountability, transparency, effectiveness and efficiency in coal ecosystem. It provides a platform for monitoring of sampling and coal dispatches.

Besides, the App is designed with an aim to make the citizens a stakeholder in the coal ecosystem. UTTAM is an example of leveraging technology to facilitate a bidirectional channel between Coal India Limited and a common citizen. It ensures transparency and efficiency in the coal quality monitoring process and brings coal governance closer to people.

While addressing the occasion the minister asserted that, "UTTAM is an example of leveraging technology to ensure transparency and efficiency in coal quality monitoring the process to bring coal governance closer to people."

He also added that the both the coal ministry and CIL are working together to fulfil the consumers' need. "The Ministry of Railways is also expanding the infrastructure to carry more coal," Goyal added.

"We are coming up such policies that the coal companies can go for an annual booking for rakes. Even the rail ministry is ordering wagons for three years in advance for better coal transportation," the minister asserted.

Specific benefits of the UTTAM App would be for Subsidiary structure—the information about subsidiary wise declared GCV will help citizens and coal consumers to compare and assess the coal quality coming from a particular mine. It will provide a proper mapping of the declared grade of coal dispatch to the consumers. Further, for Coal consumer portal – the portal would give detailed information for coal consumers regarding the Third Party Sampling parameters. The App will give access for monitoring coal quality to individual coal consumers like sampling Coverage – the App provides coverage of Third Party Sampling which includes information on production, dispatch and quantity sampled of coal. Subsidiary-wise quality parameters – an interactive map-based view provides holistic coverage of coal quality across subsidiaries, along with subsidiary details on quality parameters (Declared Gross Calorific Value [GCV], Analysed GCV) and coverage parameters (Locations, Quantity sampled).

Regarding the complaints pertaining to quality of Coal—complaints are the reflection of coal quality and transparency in the coal ecosystem. The App reflects the trend of complaints, which validates CIL's efforts for quality improvement through Third Party Sampling.

With the reduction in imports and gap minimising between analysed and declared grade, the reduction of complaints have been observed.

Sampled volume – the App presents the latest quantity sampled in the power and non-power sector, bringing transparency in the coal quality assessment system.

Imports of coal – the amount of coal imported is a clear reflection of the quality of coal that is produced within the country. The trend of coal imports over the last years is presented in the App.

At the Workshop organised on Thursday by the coal ministry, a study commissioned to assess the future demand scenarios for coal sector and to formulate a 'Coal Vision 2030' on detailing future evolution and identifying key actions were also discussed. Coal Minister Piyush Goyal also asked the CIL to ensure that during transportation of the coal the trucks and wagons be covered for environmental reason and to curb the coal theft.