New Delhi: India’s coal demand is likely to increase by 63 per cent by 2030, said Union Minister of Coal, Mines and Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi in a written reply in the Lok Sabha on Friday. According to him, in India, transition away from coal is not happening in the foreseeable future. Although there will be a push for renewable and non-fossil based energy, the share of coal in the energy basket is going to remain significant in years ahead, he said.

He said the coal demand in the country is yet to peak. The draft Economic Survey 2021-22 projects coal demand in the range of 1.3-1.5 billion tonnes by 2030, an increase of 63 per cent from the current demand. Thus, as of now there is no scenario of transition away from coal affecting any stakeholders involved in coal mining.

However, the Ministry of Coal has constituted a Sub-Committee to look into holistic closure of abandoned/legacy mine sites and mines closing due to exhaustion of reserves, viability issues etc., and involving social aspects of mine closure on principles of just transition in addition to physical and environmental closure. /BI/