Joshi chairs review meeting of coal PSUs; stresses on achieving production target

New Delhi: Union Coal Minister Pralhad Joshi on Thursday reviewed the functioning of coal PSUs, including state-owned CIL, and asked the companies to achieve the production target.

The minister also asked the public sector companies in the coal sector to stick to their promised quality and grade of the fossil fuel.

”Chaired a review meeting today via VC, with coal PSUs. Emphasised on achieving production target and liquidating pithead stocks, adhering to promised quality & grade,” the minister said in a tweet.

Joshi said that he also appreciated the efforts of coal PSUs in mobilising resources to strengthen the fight against COVID-19.

Coal India, which accounts for over 80 per cent of domestic coal output, is eyeing 670 million tonnes (MT) of coal output in the ongoing fiscal.

Coal India Ltd (CIL) on Tuesday said its operations slowed down on account of more than 5,400 of the company’s employees and their wards across subsidiaries testing positive for coronavirus.

However, offtake rose to 54.1 MT last month, the company said in a statement.

”Despite the setback, coal supplies logged a 3.3 per cent growth compared to a COVID free April of FY’20 while the growth was even higher at 6.1 per cent against April FY’19 when CIL chalked up its highest ever coal off-take of 607 MT,” the company had said.

CIL produced 596 MT of coal in FY 2020-21.