Mahanadi Coalfields Limited Sets New Records In Coal Production And Off-Take By Introducing Innovative Technologies

Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL), a subsidiary of state-owned Coal India Limited, has had a successful year in 2022, setting new records in coal production, off-take, and overburden removal. The company produced 168 million tonnes of coal in 2022, a 17.5% increase from the previous year, and saw an 11% increase in off-take and a 21% increase in overburden removal.

Going forward, MCL has obtained environmental clearance to increase production limits at the Lakhanpur OCP (21 MT to 22.5 MT) and Kulda OCPs (19.6 MT to 21MT) and has begun work on its first mega project, the 50 MTPA Siarmal project in the Sundergarh district. The Subhadra MDO project, with a capacity of 25 MTPA in the Angul district, is also making progress towards coal production.

MCL has also introduced new technologies in the coal mining industry, including the procurement of a bucket crusher for the Balaram OCP to crush coal to a size suitable for direct dispatch to railway sidings. The company has also increased the number of First Mile Connectivity (FMC) projects, which aims to transport coal to consumers with minimal dust pollution. It plans to have a total of 10 such projects by the end of 2023, with a capacity of 146 million tonnes of coal per year. MCL’s goal is to have 351 million tonnes of coal evacuation capacity through its FMC projects by 2029.

In addition to its efforts to increase coal production, MCL has also prioritized corporate social responsibility initiatives. These include the construction of a 100-bed cardiac care centre, the improvement of infrastructure at 66 government schools, and the development of a mobile app to track high-risk pregnant women and children with severe acute malnutrition in the Sambalpur District. The company has also signed three MoUs with the Sambalpur District Administration to improve sanitation facilities and the aesthetic appearance of the Sambalpur Municipality area, at a value of INR 3.6 crore.

MCL has provided resettlement benefits to 1,313 Project Displaced Families (PDFs) and has sanctioned compensation of INR 47 crore during 2022. A total of 578 Project Affected Families (PAFs) have been provided regular employment in MCL or annuity in lieu of employment or one-time cash compensation as per the company’s Resettlement and Rehabilitation policy. MCL has also supplied 162 LKL of water from its mines for the irrigation of 53 acres of land, benefiting 1.5 lakh villagers. The company has covered 183 hectares of land with plantation, including 63 hectares within the lease and 119 outside the lease.

In November 2022, the long-awaited Angul-Balram rail link project also began operations, which will allow for the bidirectional flow of 10 additional rakes in the Talcher circuit and result in the incremental evacuation of about 40,000 tonnes of coal.

Read more: Coal Production In India Experiences Significant Growth In December 2022