SECL steps up coal output to 182 MT in FY 2022-23

New Delhi: South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL), a flagship arm of state-run Coal India Limited (CIL), has set a target to produce 182 million tonnes (MT) of dry fuel in the financial year 2022-23 (FY23). The Chairman-cum-Managing Director (CMD) of the SECL, Dr. Prem Sagar Mishra has kicked off the initiative right on the first day of the fiscal; propelling the team to meet the target. Mishra met the local trade union representatives and members of the steering committee at the SECL headquarters, seeking their succor to achieve the milestone.

The Gevra, Dipka, and Kusmunda mega projects will share two thirds of the total output of the SECL. While Gevra has been given a target of 52 MT, Kusmunda and Dipka plan to produce 45 MT and 38 MT respectively. Endowed with rich reserves, the Mand-Raigarh coalfields in Raigarh area have been given the goal of producing 15.5 MT of dry fuel.

Of the annual plan envisaged, SECL eyes to produce 69 MT from the 21 opencast mines while 46 underground mines will share the remaining 13 MT. The company also plans to develop three new projects during the financial year that include Rampur Batura Opencast, Ambika Opencast, and Ketki Underground Mine. Ketki underground mine is the first underground mine project approved by Coal India on MDO mode.

An outlay of Rs 5200 crore has been approved for the capital expenditure in various sectors including infrastructure in the financial year. It includes capital expenditure of Rs 1800 crore for the development of rail corridor projects.

The company is developing First Mile Connectivity (FMC) projects in its operational areas including its mega projects, through which coal produced from the mine itself will be transported in an eco-friendly manner and quickly to the consumers. For this, a rapid loading system and silos are being effectively developed.

In the financial year ended 31 March 2022, the company dispatched 155.71 MT of coal to consumers amid the challenges of COVID pandemic, which is the second largest dispatch data since the company's inception. It is about 17 MT (an increase of about 12 percent) more than the previous financial year. SECL supplied 129.29 MT of coal to the power sector that was also notable.

SECL recorded 142.51 MT production in the concluded financial year amidst battling serious challenges inflicted by unpredictable monsoon and the second wave of COVID. In a significant achievement, the company has executed 196.88 Million Cubic Meter of Overburden (OB) removal, registering a positive growth from last year that would facilitate surging coal production this year. On February 28, SECL removed the OB of about 8 lakh cubic meters so far in a day.

The company was successful in registering 142.51 MT production in the last financial year even amidst the challenges of the unpredictable monsoon and the second wave of Corona. In a significant achievement, the Company has done 196.88 Million Cubic Meter of Overburden Removal, registering a positive growth from last year, whose full benefit will also be available in coal production this year.

On February 28, SECL removed about 8 lakh cubic meters of overburden, the highest ever in a day. It will help the Kusmunda area to scale up output.

Among the mega projects, Gevra area recorded the highest ever coal dispatch of 44.98 MT, registering a growth of 18.72 percent over the previous year while Dipka dispatched 36.90 MT with a growth of 24.33 percent. The company's Bhatgaon and Johila areas met their coal production and offtake targets while Korba area successfully achieved the OBR target for the year 2021-22.

The Saraipali mine of Korba area, giving excellent results in its first production year itself, succeeded in producing 1.4 MT of coal for which it had received the environmental clearance.

In the year 2021-22, about Rs 180 crore were disbursed to the land-displaced people as land compensation and 186 jobs were also given. The company has also succeeded in acquiring over 600 hectares of land by February 2022 of the last financial year.

In terms of environmental clearance, last year Gevra Opencast (49 MTPA), Amand OC (4 MTPA), Kanchan OC (2 MTPA) and Ambika OC (1 MTPA) have received environment clearance while Dipka OC (133.7 ha) and Ambika OC (6.2 ha) have also received forest clearance.

Under CSR, the company has made innovative efforts in the direction of skill development of unemployed and underprivileged youth. Skill development training will be imparted to 520 identified youth in Raipur and Korba centers of Central Institute of Plastics Engineering and Technology (C-PET). Of which, training has already started for 300 youths staying in the periphery of SECL projects.

Incorporating new technology, four silos have been commissioned under the second phase of Kusmunda CHP last year. These are the projects of first mine connectivity. 1000 TPH capacity semi mobile crushers have been operated in Dipka, Gevra and Kusmunda mega projects, while a total of 20 new departmental Tipper has also been commissioned.

SECL Board has given approval to employ 2 sets of Continuous Miner in Charcha RO underground mine of Baikunthpur area and 1 set of Continuous Miner in Rajgamar 6 and 7 underground mine of Korba area on hiring basis.

The two rail corridor projects being undertaken by the two subsidiaries of SECL have achieved important landmarks. These include ferrying the first coal-laden rail rake from Gharghoda and Dharamjaygarh stations of East Rail Corridor to power plants, opening of Gharghoda-Bhalumada single line for operation.

In the new financial year 2022-23, the despatch target for SECL has also been kept at 182 million tonnes, while the company has to remove the OB of 280 million cubic meters. In wake of SECL's CMD Dr. Prem Sagar Mishra and the Board of Directors to various project areas and discussions with the local core team to prepare strategically, SECL is confident to achieve the mark.

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