By 2025–2026, the largest coal producer in India, Coal India Ltd (CIL), would invest Rs 91,000 crore in a number of projects, including mine expansion and diversification, according to P M Prasad, chairman and managing director of CIL-arm Central Coalfields Ltd (CCL).
On Wednesday, the Public Enterprises Selection Board that Prasad be appointed Chairman and Managing Director of Coal India. “A combined total of Rs 91,000 crore would be invested on diversification and other initiatives. These will be injected until 2025 or 2026.” He said that Rs 36,000 crore will be used for coal gasification projects, while Rs 46,000 crore would go towards contracts with mining developers and operators (MDOs) and other things.
The leftover funds will be used for a variety of different initiatives. For implementation in the Mine Developer and Operator mode, CIL has already identified 15 greenfield projects with a combined project-rated capacity of 168.58 million tonnes annually. (MDO) Nine of these 15 projects have received Letters of Award and will be carried out by MDOs.
Six further mining projects are in various stages of development. Of the 15 projects, four are underground mines and eleven are opencast. Prasad said on plans for diversification that “three tenders have already been done for coal gasification project.” Given the abundance of coal in the nation, the Centre has made the decision to heavily promote coal gasification, which can produce a variety of energy, chemical, and petrochemical products—the majority of which are currently imported.
