Why in the news?

The Coal Controller’s Organisation (CCO) recently held inspections of Coal Mines to ensure the accuracy of Coal class and grade declarations.

Coal Sector in Indian Economy:

The Indian coal sector is one of the 8 core sectors contributing heavily to the economic development of India.
In India, there are 4 grades of coal available: Lignite, Bituminous, Sub-Bituminous, and Anthracite, and out of which Anthracite is the highest grade of coal.
More than 70% of Coal reserves in India are mainly found in the South-Central region i.e. in Orissa, Chhattisgarh, and Jharkhand.
India is the second-largest producer of Anthracite globally after China.
The mining sector accounts for more than 2% contribution to the total GDP of India.
India, had a global share of Coal production nearly 9%.
India’s share of coal in major imports in FY 2023 was estimated at 8%.
India exports coking coal to neighboring countries, including Nepal, Bangladesh, and Bhutan.

The CCO was established in 1975 under the Coal Mines (Conservation and Development) Act, 1974.
It operates under the Ministry of Coal.
It is headquartered in Kolkata and field offices at Dhanbad, Ranchi, Bilaspur, Nagpur, Sambalpur, Kothagudem, and Asansol.

Regulatory Oversight: Regulates coal industry activities, ensuring compliance with laws and policies.
Inspections: It conducts inspections of collieries to ensure the accuracy of coal class and grade declarations under the Colliery Control Rules, 2004 (Amended in 2021).
Quality Control: Establishes and enforces standards for coal quality through testing and inspection.
Grading and Classification: Categorizes coal into grades based on quality and intended use.
Licensing and Permissions: Issues licenses and permits to coal producers, traders, and consumers.
Data Collection and Analysis: Collects and analyzes data on coal production, consumption, and market trends.
Research and Development: Conducts or sponsors R&D to improve mining techniques and coal quality.
Conservation and Sustainability: Formulates policies for coal resource conservation and sustainable development.
Enforcement and Compliance: Ensures compliance with coal-related regulations through inspections and enforcement actions.

The gradation of coal is based on-

Coke is a solid carbonaceous material derived from heating coal in the absence of air.
It is a porous, hard, black substance with a high carbon content and few impurities.
Coke is primarily used as a fuel and as a reducing agent in the process of smelting iron ore to produce steel in a blast furnace.

Types of Coal based on Coking ability

Non-Coking Coal: Non-coking coal, also known as thermal coal, is coal that does not have the ability to undergo conversion into coke when heated in the absence of air. It is primarily used for power generation in thermal power plants, as well as for other industrial applications such as cement production and heating.
Coking Coal: Coking coal, also known as metallurgical coal, is a type of coal that possesses the necessary properties to undergo conversion into coke when heated in the absence of air. Coking coal is characterized by its high carbon content, low ash content, and ability to form a strong, porous coke when heated.
Semi Coking / Weakly Coking Coal: Semi-coking or weakly coking coal is a coal type that falls between non-coking coal and coking coal in terms of its properties. While it does not fully qualify as coking coal due to certain limitations in its coking properties, it exhibits some degree of coking ability when heated.

[2022] In India, what is the role of the Coal Controller’s Organization (CCO)?

CCO is the major source of Coal Statistics in Government of India.
It monitors progress of development of Captive Coal/Lignite blocks.
It hears any objection to the Government’s notification relating to acquisition of coal-bearing areas.
It ensures that coal mining companies deliver the coal to end users in the prescribed time.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1, 2 and 3

(b) 3 and 4 only

(d) 1, 2 and 4