New Delhi, Mar 21: With India's coal production crossing 1 billion tonnes, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday hailed the feat as a "proud moment" and a "historic milestone" for the nation.

Reinforcing the vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’, this achievement is expected to further strengthen India’s energy sector and reduce dependence on imports.

"A proud moment for India! Crossing the monumental milestone of 1 billion tonnes of coal production is a remarkable achievement, highlighting our commitment to energy security, economic growth, and self-reliance," the Prime Minister posted on social media platform X.

Union Minister for Coal and Mines, G Kishan Reddy, earlier informed in a X post that India has crossed a monumental 1 billion tonnes of coal production.

“India has crossed a monumental 1 BILLION TONNES of coal production! With cutting-edge technologies and efficient methods, we’ve not only increased production but also ensured sustainable and responsible mining,” the minister said.

Reddy further stated that, this achievement will fuel our increasing power demands, drive economic growth, and ensure a brighter future for every Indian under the visionary leadership of PM Modi.

Responding to the X post of the Union Minister, PM Modi wrote that "this feat also reflects the dedication and hard work of all those associated with the sector".

Earlier this week, the Central government set a target to supply 906.1 million tonnes (MT) of coal to the power sector in the financial year 2025-26. The Ministry of Coal shared this plan with the Parliament, following a request from the Ministry of Power regarding coal requirements for the next fiscal year.

Currently, the country has an adequate supply of coal. According to the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), coal-based power plants had a stock of 53.49 MT as of March 10, 2025.

This is 20.2 per cent higher than the 44.51 MT stock recorded on the same day last year.

--IANS

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