Coal India may resume supplies to non-power firms soon

Coal shortage woes of non-power sector are likely to continue till about the end of September, Coal India Ltd (CIL) has indicated. A surge in power demand towards the beginning of summer had forced the coal behemoth to start diverting supplies from cement, aluminium and other sectors. This strategy would be reversed only towards the middle of this month when the supplies are expected to improve, Coal India chairman Anil Kumar Jha said. "During the first quarter, we produced 12% more over the previous year. But because of factors like policy of the government to provide 24x7 supplies, power demand is also increasing exponentially and we are not being able to keep pace with it. Unfortunately, in August as well as this month, due to heavy rain, production further deteriorated. But we are hopeful that after the rains stop, likely after Viswakarma Puja (September 17), we would be able to catch up," Jha said after the annual general meeting of the company.