Coal production in the country grew by 9.1 per cent to 426.7 million tonne in the nine months to December on the back of improved output by Coal India and rise in captive mining, the Economic Survey for 2014-15 reveals. The government has set the coal production target for 2014-15 at 630.25 mt. Coal output until January stood at 485.38 mt, the survey said. The survey said significant rise in the domestic output of coal was critical when India is gearing up for economic revival. The government also said it had assigned high priority to the early completion of critical railway projects for movement of coal. Speaking of imports, the survey pointed out at higher demand as the reason for rising imports despite growth in production.
According to the data, coal imports till November were 137.6 million tonne, of which 110 million was thermal coal while the rest was coking coal. India imported 168.44 million tonne in 2013-14.