Tamil Nadu was the largest producer of lignite and produced 22.480 Million Tonnes (MT) in 2022-23, as per the provisional statistics released by Union Ministry of Coal.
Lignite deposits in India are primarily located in the tertiary sediments in the Southern & Western parts of the peninsular shield, particularly in Tamil Nadu, Pudhucherry, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Jammu & Kashmir. Lignite is also available in minor quantities in Odisha, Kerala & West Bengal, it said.
The overall production of lignite declined 5.27% to 44.990 MT in 2022-23 from 47.492 MT in 2021-22, as per the provisional figures. Tamil Nadu accounted for 49.97% of the production, followed by Gujarat at 27.37% ,and Rajasthan at 22.67%, as per the data released by Office of Coal Controller, under the Union Ministry of Coal.
In terms of despatch of lignite, Tamil Nadu had the highest share of 24.166 MT or 51.61%, followed by Gujarat at 26.27% ,and Rajasthan at 22.12%. Tamil Nadu’s lignite production stood at 23.635 MT in 2021-22, followed by 18.026 MT in 2020-21, In 2019-20, the State’s lignite production was 23.516 MT and it was 23.041 MT in 2018-19.
Tamil Nadu accounts for about 82% of India’s lignite reserves of 40.9 billion tonne, as per the National Electricity Plan Volume-I: Generation, notified by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA). Tamil Nadu has lignite reserves of 33,309.53 million tonnes. At present, only a small percentage of the total lignite reserves have been exploited. There is considerable scope for their exploitation and use of lignite in thermal power stations subject to cost-economics, particularly in Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan and Gujarat, which have limitations in transportation of coal, the plan pointed out.
In April this year, Union Coal Minister Pralhad Joshi had directed the removal of three lignite blocks in the State from the National auction list, amid opposition from farmers and all political parties in Tamil Nadu.
NLC India Limited’s expansion was also faced with protest. In August, Mr. Joshi, in a written reply to a question from PMK Rajya Sabha member Anbumani Ramadoss, said the Centre was not planning to withdraw the proposed expansion.