New Delhi: Coal India Limited (CIL) has been directed to achieve 1 billion tonne (BT) coal production by 2023-24 with a required compound average growth rate (CAGR) of 10.95 per cent, Union Minister of Coal, Mines and Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi said in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha on Monday.

All India coal production target for 2020-21 was 828.50 MT against which 716.08 MT was produced. During this period, coal production declined by two per cent as compared to the corresponding period of the previous year.

The decline in coal production is largely due to land acquisition, relief and rehabilitation issues, delay in forestry and environmental clearances, evacuation and logistics constraints, law and order problems and heavy rainfall witnessed in the coal mining areas in the current year which was around 25 per cent more than the previous year, said Joshi.

Further, rains also continued during the month of October. However, the outbreak of pandemic Covid-19 resulted in subdued demand of coal by power and non-power sector which adversely affected coal dispatch. Coal production was regulated due to high pithead coal stock, availability of coal stock at power houses end and less off take, he said. /BI/