India coal consumption to reach 769.69m tonnes by 2013-14

Indian demand for coal would reach to 769.69 million tonnes by 2013-14, the ministry of coal said late Tuesday. Minister of State for Coal, Pratik Prakash Bapu Patil, said the staggering demand for coal in the county has come against the domestic availability of just 614.55 million tonnes. The minister said the low production in the country was the outcome of various factors. "The coal production was restrained by difficulties such as acquisition of land, obtaining environment and forest related clearances, difficult geo mining conditions in some areas," Patil said. "Resettlement, rehabilitation and also intermittent law and order problems were other factors preventing government to fully exploit coal resources. The coal evacuation capacity particularly through rail movement is minimal," he added.