No: --- Dated: Feb, 06 2019

 

The Cabinet Committee of Economic Affairs Chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi today approved the proposal for continuation of the Scheme of "Exploration of Coal and Lignite" with an expected expenditure of Rs.1875 Crore.

The approved scheme is for carrying out 24,41,500 meter of drilling and 3575 line km (LKM) of surface geophysical survey for Promotional (Regional) Exploration &Detailed drilling in Non-CIL Block in Coal & Lignite along with CBM/Shale gas studies and associated studies to estimate and prove coal resources during 3 years period.

Under the Scheme, approximately 7 billion tonnes of resources will be established and 11 billion tonnes of resources will be proved.

Exploration for coal and lignite is required to estimate and to prove the resources available in the country. Exploration for coal and lignite in the country is conducted in two broad stages: (i) regional exploration and (ii) detailed drilling. By regional exploration, prognosticated occurrences of coal and lignite horizons are categorized into 'Indicated' and 'Inferred' resources. Promising areas identified by regional exploration are taken up for detailed exploration in the second stage which involves intensive drilling to bring the resources into 'Proved1 category,

"Exploration for Coal and Lignite Scheme" is a continuing Central Sector Scheme from previous plans and scope of the work has not been modified. The scheme for exploration for coal & lignite should continue beyond XII Plan to bring additional coal resources to the national coal/ lignite inventory of the country.

Courtesy – Press Information Bureau, Government of India​​​​