Maharatna PSU Coal India Limited recently celebrated its 50th anniversary, during which the Union Coal Minister, Mr. G. Kishan Reddy, stated, “Coal production from domestic sources is crucial for reducing costly imports, and Coal India Ltd (CIL) must significantly increase its output in the coming years.” CIL is responsible for over 80% of the country’s coal production.
Mr. Reddy emphasized that coal has yet to reach its full potential in India and urged CIL to enhance its production levels, as noted in a statement from the coal ministry. CIL was established on November 1st, 1975, as the apex holding company for nationalized coking and non-coking coal mines. The company has grown impressively, expanding production from 89 million tonnes (MT) in 1975-76 to 773.6 MT by the end of FY24, reflecting an 8.7-fold increase.