“The shortfall in domestic coal
output in the country is likely to exceed 200 million tons (MT) in the
forthcoming Five-Year Plan (2012-17) period if proactive measures are not taken
to bridge the demand-supply gap for the fossil fuel.” The Coal Ministry said.
“Unless we facilitate new production through proactive measures, the gap
in demand and supply from domestic sources would exceed 200 MT in the 12th Plan
period,” coal minister Sriprakash Jaiswal said.
“We are on the threshold of
the 12th Five-Year Plan, where the rise in production is expected to come
from spillover projects of the 11th Plan and the new ones to be taken up in the
12th Plan,” he added.
Earlier, the Planning Commission had also said the country's coal
demand will go up to 1,000 MT by the end of the 12th Five-Year Plan,
necessitating about 200 MT of imports to bridge the shortfall in domestic
output.
The production shortfall in the current fiscal is projected at 142 MT, with
domestic output likely to amount to 554 MT.
Source: Economic Times
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