Coal beneficiation: Initiatives taken by Mahanadi coalfields limited (a subsidiary of Coal India Limited)

Abstract

Power or electricity is one of the most critical components of infrastructure affecting economic growth and well-being of nations. The existence and development of adequate infrastructure is essential for sustained growth of the Indian economy. The Indian power sector is one of the most diversified in the world. Coal accounts for about 61% of India’s total installed capacity and 72 % of the electricity generated is from coal based power plants. Demand of coal is increasing year after year on account of increasing demand from power sector. Coal India Limited (CIL), single largest coal producer in the world accounts for about 80% of India’s Coal production. Coal India is planning to ramp up coal production to one billion tonne by 2019-20, in which share of Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) is 250 million tonnes ie 25% of CIL’s targeted coal production.Augmentation of coal production by CIL also requires matching coal washing capacity for improving the quality of coal to meet the requirement of user industries as well to comply the environment protection Rule 2014 of Government of India. This paper illustrates the initiatives taken by CIL in general & MCL in particular in setting up of Non-Coking Coal washeries realising the need of Coal Beneficiation and also the steps towards Good Governance adopted by MCL for bringing transparency in tendering process for awarding contracts for setting up of washery which is very complex in nature, through e-bidding route with a system of auto evaluation of Bids for making the entire process simpler, transparent and less time consuming.