New Delhi, Nov 01, 2024, IANS

New Delhi, Nov 1 (IANS) India's coal production reached 84.45 million tonnes (MT) in the month of October, surpassing 78.57 MT production in the corresponding month last year with 7.48 per cent growth, the government said on Friday. Coal production from captive and other entities also showed substantial growth, rising to 16.59 MT in October 2024 compared to 11.70 MT in the same period last year, reflecting a remarkable growth rate of 41.75 per cent, according to the Ministry of Coal data. The cumulative coal production for the fiscal year up to October reached 537.45 MT, an increase from 506.56 MT during the same period in FY 2023-24, representing a growth of 6.10 per cent, the data showed. The notable upswing in overall coal production came as the government remains committed to ensuring a reliable coal supply to meet India’s energy demands, with a continued focus on boosting production, streamlining logistics, and supporting the nation’s energy goals. Additionally, coal dispatches witnessed a significant boost in October, reaching an impressive 82.89 MT, showcasing a 4.60 per cent growth over the 79.25 MT recorded in October 2023. Meanwhile, coal dispatch from captive and other entities also grew to 16.18 MT in October, compared to 11.83 MT last year, representing a growth of 36.83 per cent. In the April-October period this fiscal, cumulative coal dispatch has risen to 571.39 MT in FY 2024-25, as compared to 541.51 MT during the corresponding period in FY 2023-24, reflecting growth of 5.52 per cent, said the ministry. In September, coal production increased by 2.6 per cent (YoY). Its cumulative index increased by 5.9 per cent during April-September 2024-25 over the corresponding period of the previous year, according to the latest Index of Eight Core Industries (ICI) data.