Bhuabneswar, July 24 : Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL), would surpass its annual production target of 204 million tonnes for financial year 2023-24, Coal India Limited Chairman P M Prasad said. Prasad, who was on his maiden visit to MCL after assuming the charge of Chairman, Coal India asserted that not only Coal India, but the entire country has high hopes on the Odisha-based subsidiary company for energy security. He toured Ib Valley Coalfields in Jharsuguda district on Sunday and later in the evening chaired a Review Meeting of the company at the headquarters. Prasad said, “MCL has performed exceptionally well in the past couple of years, and not only Coal India, but the entire country has high hopes on MCL. ” He said the leading subsidiary would successfully achieve its target of 204 MT production for the current fiscal. The Coal India Chairman inspected coal mining and dispatch operations as well as upcoming infrastructure projects in Ib Valley coalfields on Sunday and emphasised on diversification initiatives, like setting up of more solar power plants and achieving net-zero emission target. Stressing on all out efforts to ensure that the country gets an adequate quantity of coal, the Chairman advised MCL to work on feasibility of underground projects and making them viable sources of energy. Earlier, Prasad chaired a meeting of the Corporate Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) of MCL and visited an upcoming Ib Valley Coal Washery under Lakhanpur Area, the largest non-coking coal washery of 10 MTPA in Coal India. He also inspected the under-construction New Y-curve Railway Siding, which will help increase coal dispatch from Samaleswari OCP of Ib Valley Area.
