CIL to take up 126 projects during 12th Plan to raise coal production

Coal India Limited (CIL) has identified 126 new projects, with an estimated capacity of 438.04 million tonnes, to be taken up during the 12th Plan period.

Out of these, 60 projects are likely to contribute about 88 MT during the terminal year of the 12th Plan, ie, 2016-17, an official release said on Monday.

Beside this, CIL has planned a number of other initiatives to increase coal production which include partnering private sector under the public private partnership (PPP) policy framework.

CIL will also appoint a consultant of international repute to advise it on technology and modernisation of its mines. The bid for selection of consultant is currently under process.

CIL also proposes to invest Rs7,045 crore in three major railway infrastructure facilities, namely, Tori-Shivpur (Kathotia), Mand-Raigarh-Korba and Gopalpur-Manoharpur for faster evacuation of coal from its three major coalfields, namely North Karanpura-Auranga of CCL, Mand Raigarh-Korba of SECL and Ib Valley of MCL, which have a high growth potential.

These projects are under various stages of implementation. These rail links, together stretching to about 435 km, are expected to handle 150 million tonnes of coal by the end of the 12th Plan.

CIL plans to install high capacity equipment at par with global standards in opencast mines such as Gevra, Dipka, Lakhanpur etc and introduce mass production technology equipments like continuous miners and powered support long-wall faces in underground mines.