India will not face any shortage of coal in 2023, says Coal minister Pralhad Joshi

India will not face any shortage of coal this year even during the monsoon, Coal and Mines Minister Pralhad Joshi said on Tuesday. No matter what is the demand this year, the government is prepared to meet the same, the minister said at a conference on underground coal mining here.

"I assure the country on behalf of Coal India and the coal ministry that there will not be any shortage of coal even in the monsoon this time," he said. The preparation is good and it is "our responsibility" to meet the entire demand this year, Joshi said.

Speaking to PTI on the sidelines of the event, the minister said while 35 million tonne (MT) coal is at thermal power plants, 65 MT is lying at pit heads of Coal India and private miners and another 10-12 MT is in various stages of transportation.

On the movement of coal through rakes, Joshi said the ministry is working in close coordination with Railways for movement of the dry fuel from pit heads to locations.

Earlier, the minister also unveiled Coal India's 'UG Vision Plan', which is a roadmap for achieving 100 MT production from CIL's underground mines by FY 2028.

At present, Coal India produces around 28 MT coal from underground mines. Its subsidiary South Eastern Coalfields Ltd (SECL) alone contributes 11.5 MT coal from its 45 underground mines, Sanish Chandra, an official of SECL said.