NLC India Misses Lignite Production Target For FY24 Amid Land Acquisition Delays

State-owned entity NLC India Ltd. fell short of its lignite production target for fiscal 2023-24 due to delays in land acquisition, according to a parliamentary panel report on Wednesday.

The Standing Committee on Coal, Mines and Steel noted that while three coal-producing companies, including Coal India Ltd., achieved their production targets, NLC India only reached 83.36% of its goal.

The panel attributed this shortfall to land acquisition delays, which hindered NLC India's ability to meet its target of 26.5 million tonnes of lignite production for 2023-24, resulting in actual production of 23.68 million tonnes.

In terms of productivity, CIL is the most efficient in coal mining, which may be due to the use of modern technology.

"The committee is of the view that though the efforts put in by the three coal PSUs are commendable in meeting the overarching national objective of energy security, the obstacles coming in the way of better performance of NLCIL and SCCL may be addressed at the earliest," it said.

Against the production target of 26.5 million tonnes for 2023-24, NLC India produced 23.68 MT of lignite.

NLC India Ltd. is an integrated mining and power company with opencast lignite mines linked to thermal power stations.

(With inputs from PTI)