Mahanadi Coalfield Limited (MCL) is faltering to achieve its coal production targets at most of its coal mines. For example, MCL’s Kaniha OCP has achieved only 17% of the target. At the company’s Hindula OC-II project, output has been at 41%, 33% and 24% of set targets for past three consecutive years. The company’s Ananta OC Expansion achieved only 66% of its target of 15 MTPA in FY13 and production at the Balram OCP too was below the target.
Problems faced by the company are many – land acquisition issues, environmental concerns, delay in government clearances so on and so forth. MCL puts the blame for its poor performance squarely on Odisha government for delaying land acquisition, public hearings and other statutory clearances.
MCL is a subsidiary of Coal India Ltd which produces more than 100 million tonnes of coal annually. The coal reserve of MCL is spread over two Coalfields viz., Talcher and IB Valley both in the state of Odisha, with ten operating areas consisting of seven underground and sixteen open cast mines
