Bilaspur, India — South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL), a subsidiary of Coal India Limited, has exceeded its previous fiscal year’s coal production, reaching 167.7 million tonnes (MT) in the financial year 2025–26, the company announced Thursday.
The milestone was achieved on March 18, 2026, marking a 6% increase compared to the same period last year. SECL also reported strong performance across key operational indicators, including coal offtake and overburden removal (OBR), making it the only Coal India subsidiary to post growth in all three metrics.
Strong Contribution from Mega Projects
SECL’s large-scale mining projects played a crucial role in the output surge:
- Gevra Project: 51.7 MT
- Dipka Project: 36.5 MT
- Kusmunda Project: 30.7 MT
Additional regional contributions included:
- Central India Coalfields: 25.6 MT
- Raigarh Area: 15.8 MT
- Korba Area: 7.2 MT
Offtake and Overburden Removal Also Rise
The company’s coal offtake—a measure of supply to consumers—reached 171.3 MT as of March 17, 2026, reflecting a 4.5% year-on-year increase.
Meanwhile, overburden removal (OBR), a key activity that involves clearing soil and rock to access coal seams, touched 350 million cubic meters, indicating improved mining readiness and future production potential.
Leadership Commentary
SECL Chairman and Managing Director Harish Duhan emphasized the company’s role in national energy security.
“SECL is a critical pillar of the country’s energy security. Our priority is to ensure uninterrupted coal supply to meet the nation’s energy demands under all circumstances. We remain committed to our targets and are accelerating efforts to further boost production and supply in the remaining period.”
Strategic Importance
Operating across the states of Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, SECL is the second-largest coal-producing company in India, contributing nearly 20% of the country’s total coal output.
With electricity demand expected to rise during the summer months, the company is implementing targeted strategies to strengthen production and ensure timely coal supply to power plants, helping maintain stability in the country’s energy sector.
