Coal imports drop 27%

Coal imports declined to 12.6 million tonnes last month as against 17.3 million tonnes of import in September 2014.

A labourer rests at a wholesale coal shop in Kolkata October 20, 2010. India's coal imports increased nearly 30 percent in the year to date through September and are anticipated to reach 100 million tonnes -- 36 percent above 2009, Peabody Energy Corp said. REUTERS/Rupak De Chowdhuri (INDIA - Tags: ENERGY BUSINESS EMPLOYMENT)

Helped by increase in domestic production of the fuel, coal imports in India dropped for the third successive month in September by 27 per cent to 12.6 million tonnes as compared to the year-ago period.

Coal Secretary Anil Swarup on Monday tweeted, “With unprecedented increase in coal production by Coal India, import of coal comes down for third successive month.”

Coal India which accounts for over 80 per cent of the domestic coal production is targeting one billion tonnes of coal production by financial year 2020.

Mr.Swarup further added that the coal imports declined to 12.6 million tonnes last month as against 17.3 million tonnes of import in September 2014. In value terms, he added, it declined by 30 per cent from Rs.,598 crore to Rs.6,027 crore last month.