COAL: CHOICE FOR INDIAN
ENERGY

COAL
is the most important and abundant fossil fuel in India. It accounts for 55% of
the country's energy need. The country's industrial heritage was built upon
indigenous coal.

Commercial primary
energy consumption in India has grown by about 700% in the last four decades.
The current per capita  commercial primary energy consumption in India is
about 350 kgoe/year which is well below that of developed countries. Driven by
the rising population, expanding economy and a quest for improved quality of
life, energy usage in India is expected to rise around 450 kgoe/year  in
2010. Considering the limited reserve potentiality of petroleum &
natural gas, eco-conservation restriction on hydel project and geo-political
perception of nuclear power, coal will continue to occupy centre-stage of India
's energy scenario.

With hard coal reserves around 246 billion tonnes, of
which 92 billion tonnes are proven, Indian coal offers a unique ecofriendly fuel
source to domestic energy market for the next century and beyond. Hard coal
deposit spread over 27 major coalfields, are mainly confined to eastern and
south central parts of the the country. The lignite reserves stand at a level
around 36 billion tonnes, of which 90 %  occur in the southern State of
Tamil Nadu.

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