Heavy rains caused India’s coal production to decline to 2.3 percent in the FY 2020-21 to 716 million tones against 730.87 million tones last year. Imports declined by 13.5% to 215 tonnes. 20 thermal power stations shut, impacting the power generation in Delhi, Rajasthan, Haryana, and other states.
Here are the key movements in the big story.
- The Union Power Ministry says in its statement on Sunday that the coal crisis in India is overwritten. There is sufficient coal in the country, the ministry added.
- Union power minister RK Singh visited all thermal power plants on Sunday. Reports a week ago said that over 77 coal-fired plants are left with just three days of fuel.
- The center’s statement came after Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal raised concerns about the power crisis over Delhi NCR.
- After the Union Power Ministry issued a statement, Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia kited on the opposition, saying that the Centre is not ready to accept their negligence.
- Former union minister and Congress leader Jairam Ramesh demanded a CBI investigation into the coal shortage across the country.
- In a statement on Sunday, Madhya Pradesh energy minister Pradhuman Singh Tomar claimed that the state has a better position. We have issued a tender to purchase eight metric tonnes of coal, the Minister added.
- SAD’s chief Sukhbir Singh Badal blamed the congress-led government in Punjab, saying that the current coal crisis is “man-made.”
- The power supply situation aggravated in Punjab with a three-four-hour daily power supply cut.
- Heavy rains in coal mines area during September lead to this decline in coal production, said the Union Ministry.
- The power ministry also added that the imported coal prices of Indonesian coal escalated from $60/ton in March to $160/ton in Sep/October 2021, causing a slowdown in coal import.
Another factor contributing to the Coal Crisis in India is excessive power consumption in the country, which has increased by 24.2% from 106.6 BU per month in 2019 to 124.2 BU per month in 2021.
