About Us

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INDIAN COAL FORUM, a non-profit, non-Government Organisation structured like a premier Think Tank in the country on issues relating to Coal registered under Societies Registration Act 1860 was set up in 1997 by a Group of Senior Coal Professionals with the objective of highlighting the every-increasing role of Coal in the growth of National economy as the prime source of Commercial Energy in the country and working towards achievement of long range national objectives in all aspects of planning, development, efficient production and utilisation of coal including promotion of Environment-friendly clean coal technologies and mine safety.

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Towards achievement of these objectives, the Forum has been inter-acting with the Indian Coal Industry both in Public and Private Sectors and with Coal producers, Coal consumers and Government agencies connected with Coal. It has also been organising Seminars, Conferences and Workshops from time to time on topical issues concerning Coal.

 

Preamble

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Today, Indian Coal Industry is passing through critical times. On the one hand Coal has been declared as the prime culprit responsible for producing Green House gases leading to Global Warming and on the other dependence of India on Coal is increasing as the Primary Energy Source and the Fuel for more than 75% of Power Generation. The contradiction becomes more glaring when viewed against the background of India's commitment at Paris Conference to cut down the energy intensity per unit of GDP by 30-35% over the 2005 level.

 

The other side of the picture is that the country is endowed with huge Coal resources - of the order of 325 billion tons, 60% of which is available within open castable depths. The Indian Coal Industry should therefore have been able to meet the required growth in Coal production for keeping pace with its ever-increasing requirement. Unfortunately however for more than two decades now the country has become dependent on Imports for meeting this requirement.

 

While Import of Metallurgical Coal is understandable since the country's resource of this type of Coal is rather limited and the quality of even this limited resource is poor, Import dependence for power grade coal should be totally unacceptable. The country has a very vibrant Coal Industry, it has well qualified technical manpower, Geology of the coal deposits is rather simple and yet the imports are going north all the time. Obviously, the most important challenge is to augment Coal production and to achieve this task fast so that import dependence at least for power grade coal can be eliminated. Other major challenges are:

• ​Improving the safety status in Indian Coal Mines

• Greening of coal production and utilisation so that Paris commitment can be honoured.

• Establishing Indian Coal Industry as a positive contributor towards growth in Forest Cover   in the Country.

• Clearing the name of the Coal Industry as a destroyer of productive land resource

• R&D efforts towards generating Metallurgical Coal from Non-coking Coal.

• Exploitation of CBM resources in the Indian Coal Deposits.

 

INDIAN COAL FORUM (ICF) has decided to contribute to this National effort towards making the country self-sufficient in power grade coal by organising a National Seminar to identify and address the reasons which are standing in the way of the Indian Coal Industry delivering on the task assigned to it by the Nation.

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Aims & Objectives

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The principle aims and objectives of ICF are as follows:

• To act as ‘National Thin Tank’ of all aspects of Coal Industry.

• To serve as ‘Voice’ at National and International forum on issues related to Indian Coal Industry.

• To make suggestion in framing of India’s Coal Policy within legal framework and coal development plans.

• To act as facilitator for the public and private sector coal companies, Government of India, State Governments and other agencies for working together for long range objectives in all aspects of planning, development, safety, efficient production and utilisation of coal including promotion of environmental friendly clean coal Industry.

• To remain in regular touch with The Coal and associated industries, technical and research institutes, management development and statutory organisation and trade unions for exchange of ideas, collection and dissemination of information for mutual benefit and for improvement in the curriculum of educational institutions to match the needs of the Coal Industry.

• To collaborate with national bodies like MGMI, TERI, CIMFR, CII, FICCI, ASSOCHAM etc and International bodies like World  Coal Institute, UNDP,  World Bank, Asian Development Bank, UNIDO, World Energy Council, professional bodies with similar objectives in all major coal producing countries and NRIs to help the Indian Coal Industry.

• To further dedication, fellow- feeling and professionalism amongst all people connected with Coal Industry by promoting ethical vision, to inculcate system development with emphasis on value based approach.

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