Ramping Production, Rethinking Coal
A short note from me
This week I read that Eastern Coalfields Limited — the Coal India arm — has asked its workforce to accelerate output in the final quarter to make up a mid-year shortfall "Coal India arm ECL urges employees to ramp up production". The numbers mattered: cumulative production till December was reported at ~33.48 Mt against a proportionate target of ~38.75 Mt, even as overburden removal and offtake showed operational activity continuing.
Reading that made me pause. I have long argued that India needs both near-term reliability and long-term transformation in energy systems (Power Play — Day or Night). So I want to write briefly — in first person — about what this moment asks of leaders, workers, and policymakers.
What this asks of us now
We must honour the immediate duty: ensure coal supply continuity so factories, hospitals and homes are not disrupted. The call to employees is practical: closing a >5 Mt gap in a few months demands focus, logistics and disciplined execution.
We must protect the people who make that reliability possible. Coal production is human work: miners, equipment crews, drivers, dispatch teams. Any ramp-up must be matched by strict safety, overtime protections, and clear plans for health and compensation.
We should treat operational reliability as necessary but not sufficient. Strengthening evacuation, governance and infrastructure (the very things ECL highlights) needs to be coupled with a vision for what comes next.
Why the long view matters
Coal still powers a large part of India today. Asking employees to deliver in a quarter is a responsible, short-term ask. But past signals — from closures of coal plants elsewhere to technology cost curves — tell us the medium-term horizon is different. I have written before about the economics and social consequences of that transition (Money Down the Pit / Bluewaters reflections). The key takeaway: we must avoid treating coal as a permanent answer while planning only for short-term production gains.
Practical steps that respect both duties and futures
I believe ECL, Coal India and policymakers can do both: meet this year’s targets and accelerate the energy transition in ways that protect livelihoods.
Short-term operational focus: optimize haulage and dispatch, minimize idle time at pits and silos, and make sure offtake coordination with rail and road logistics is tight.
Worker-first measures: invest in safety audits, limit hazardous overtime, provide hazard pay, and set up retraining pathways now — not later.
Asset-level dual-use thinking: where mines and ancillary land parcels allow, plan phased deployments of solar on reclaimed or non‑mining land; this creates alternate revenue and jobs while reducing emissions.
Financial planning: direct a portion of incremental revenue from any production gains into a transition fund for reskilling, mine reclamation, community development and grid-scale storage pilots.
Transparent targets and accountability: publish clear Q4 milestones and a three-year workforce transition plan so communities and markets can see the trajectory.
A personal note
Coal miners and their families are part of India's industrial backbone. I respect the people who show up, day after day, to keep lights burning and machines running. But respect also means honesty about the future: the energy world is changing, and our policy and corporate choices must protect dignity as jobs evolve. I have argued for similar dual approaches before — securing supplies while scaling renewables and storage (Power Play — Day or Night).
If ECL and others manage this quarter well, they will have bought time — time to plan a humane, practical transition that safeguards energy security and the lives that depend on it.
Closing thought
Short-term asks of employees are sometimes necessary; long-term choices are our responsibility. We can insist on both: rigorous production management now, and deliberate, worker-centred transition planning for the years ahead.
Regards,
Hemen Parekh
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