New Delhi: Coal imports for blending in India’s power sector dropped to 54 per cent in the first nine months of the current fiscal year compared to the previous year, a development that promises significant relief to domestic coal-based power plants grappling with high input costs, the government on Wednesday said.
Replying to a query in the Lok Sabha, Coal and Mines Minister G Kishan Reddy said coal imported for blending in the power sector has come down from 35.10 million tonnes (MT) in 2022-23 to 14.02 MT in 2024-25.
“During the year 2025-26 (April-December) the coal imported for blending is 5.5 MT as compared to 12 MT during the same period last year, which is 54 per cent less than previous year, thereby reducing input fuel cost to the domestic coal-based power plants,” the minister said.
India’s coal import dropped to 243.62 MT in 2024-25 from 264.53 MT in 2023-24, resulting in foreign exchange savings of around Rs 60,681.67 crore, the minister said.
In a separate reply, the minister said Coal India Ltd (CIL), which accounts for over 80 per cent of domestic coal output, has adopted a number of measures to increase coal production.
For its underground mines, CIL is adopting new and modern technologies like mass production technologies with the deployment of continuous miners, longwall and highwall wherever feasible.
In its opencast (OC) mines, CIL already has state-of-the-art technology in its high two capacity excavators and dumpers.
Standardisation of heavy earth moving machinery has been done in opencast mines.
Surface miners are also deployed in opencast mines for efficient and eco-friendly mining. Digital transformation has been implemented on pilot scale in seven of its mega mines, the minister said.