Date | Aug 25, 2016:

State-owned CIL's 66 projects are facing delays due to reasons including land acquisition problem as well as rehabilitation and resettlement issues. The PSU is eyeing one billion tonnes of coal output by 2020. "Out of the 123 coal mining projects (of Coal India) costing Rs 20 crore and above, 57 projects are running on schedule and 66 are delayed," an official said. Of the 66 projects facing delays, 34 coal mining projects are running behind the schedule due to delay in obtaining forestry clearances, and 17 are due to delay in acquisition of land and associated R&R issues.

"In addition to the above, seven projects are running behind the schedule due to delay or discontinuance of work or non-participation in tender by contractor, five projects due to law and order problem, and three projects due to lack of railway infrastructure facilities for coal evacuation," the official added. Eight coal mining projects costing Rs 20 crore and more with an ultimate capacity of 48.23 million tonnes per year were completed during the last fiscal.

In 2015-16 six projects have started coal production. Coal India (CIL) accounts for over 80% of domestic coal production. Nine coal mining projects for an capacity of 159.25 million tonnes per year and a total capital investment of Rs 26,480.74 crore have been sanctioned by Coal India board during the year 2015-16. As on April-end, CIL had 413 mines, of which 207 are underground, 176 opencast and 30 mixed mines.

(Source: http://www.dnaindia.com/)