Coking Coal Import Can't Be Fully Substituted: CIL MD

New Delhi, Oct 21 (PTI) CIL Chairman and Managing Director P M Prasad on Monday said coking coal import cannot be substituted fully, but some part of it can be reduced.

Coking coal, also known as metallurgical coal, is used to produce coke, a key component in steel-making process.

As per the data compiled by mjunction services ltd, India's coal import in 2023-24 was 268.24 MT, which includes 57.22 MT coking coal and 175.96 MT non-coking coal.

Speaking during stakeholders' consultation on mining operators-cum-developers (MDO) and Star Rating of Coal Mines Award Ceremony, the CMD said coking coal import cannot be substituted fully, but some part of it can be reduced.

The coking coal import can be brought down if its production through domestic sources is increased, he noted.

He further said achieving coal production of 1.5 billion tonne in the next four to five years is not a small thing and in order to achieve this output, mining projects have to be awarded to MDOs.

Import of thermal coal can be reduced to a larger extent, once coal production of 1.5 billion tonne is achieved.

"To achieve 500 million tonne in next five years is a huge task. When we work together it will be possible," he explained.

The all-India production of coal during 2023-24 was 997.83 MT.

Coal India accounts for over 80 per cent of domestic coal output.