2025-26
Sambalpur: Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd (MCL) – the largest coal producing company in the country – registered a record production of coal in FY25, surpassing its output of FY24 by 9%. According to a statement released by MCL, 225.2 million tonnes of coal was mined at its various sites in FY25.
MCL has mines at Sundargarh, Jharsuguda and Angul districts in Odisha and has contributed significantly in social and economic development.
“MCL also recorded its highest-ever coal despatch of 210.5 MT in 2024-25. This is a growth of 6% growth over 2023-24. The coal despatch to the power sector has also increased from 150 million tonnes in FY24 to 158 million tonnes in FY25. This was a growth of 5 percent. This highlights MCL’s commitment to the country’s energy security,” it has been stated.
Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd has also prepared itself for FY26 by removing a record volume of overburden in FY25. Overburden is the layer of material – comprising soil and rock – that covers coal deposits. These have to be removed and disposed of in a sustainable manner, to make full utilisation of the coal underneath. The rock is generally sold as ballast, used in construction projects.
“MCL removed 338 million cubic metres of overburden in 2024-25. This was an increase of 22% over the previous year. This has ensured that several deposits are now ready to be tapped. Production can start immediately. This has been a remarkable year for MCL as new milestones have been set in all three performance parameters – coal production, despatch and overburden removal,” an official said.
Uday A Kaole, chairman-cum-managing director, MCL congratulated officers, staff, as well as employees of contracted companies and other stakeholders for the achievement.
MCL is the largest CSR spender in Odisha. In FY25, the company spent nearly Rs 215 crore under various CSR initiatives for social and economic upliftment of people of the state, particularly those from remote and peripheral areas of the coalfields.
