State-run miner Coal India (CIL) witnessed 6 per cent rise in production of coal and 8 per cent rise in off-take between April-January 2012-13.
Supply of coal to power utilities grew 11 per cent during this period. The extra coal for power was made available partly by increasing the sector’s allocation from the incremental off-take of 29 million tonne (mn t) and partly though liquidation of stocks, reports indicate.
According to reports, a considerable portion of the incremental off-take of coal went to power companies this year. Generally, 70 per cent of CIL’s coal goes to the power sector and 30 per cent to others.
On the same pro rata, one can argue even incremental output should be assigned in the same ratio. Instead, share of power sector in incremental supplies was over 90 per cent between April and February, reports indicate.