Coal minister urges CIL to focus on infra development, transportation to ramp up output

Coal minister Pralhad Joshi on Thursday called on state-owned CIL and its arm to focus on infrastructure development, transportation and new technologies in a bid to augment coal output.

The government has been making efforts to ramp up domestic coal production to ensure adequate availability of dry-fuel to different sectors.

Addressing a function to confer coal minister's awards for 2021-22 here today, Joshi said that coal sector has played a vital role in providing energy security to the nation.

Coal India Ltd (CIL) accounts for over 80 per cent of domestic coal output.

Central Coalfields Ltd (CCL), a Jharkhand-based subsidiary of Coal India Limited, bagged safety and sustainability category award at the function.

Joshi handed the trophy to CCL chairman and managing director P M Prasad in presence of coal secretary Anil Kumar Jain, CIL chairman Pramod Agarwal and others.

In 2021-22, CCL recorded the highest-ever production and dispatch at 68.8 million tonnes (MT) and 71.8 MT.