The Indian government is setting up eight new coking coal washeries with a combined capacity of 21.5 million mt in the states of Jharkhand and West Bengal as part of the government’s efforts to boost domestic supply and cut imports for the steel sector, the ministry of coal informed the Indian parliament on Tuesday, August 12.
The projects are part of ‘Mission Coking Coal’ launched in August 2021 to raise domestic production and reduce import dependence.
India’s coking coal output increased from 44.79 million mt in 2020-21 to 66.47 million mt in 2024-25.
The ministry said that the eight coking coal washeries are currently in various stages of construction, tendering or contract award.
The ministry said that state-run miner Coal India Limited (CIL) has offered 11 defunct coking coal mines to the private sector to be revived under a revenue-sharing model and already commissioned the New Madhuband Coking Coal Washery of Bharat Coking Coal Ltd (BCCL) in 2023-24 with a capacity of 5 million mt per year, under such a model contract.