RAIPUR: South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL) has emerged as the only subsidiary of Coal India Limited to register growth across all three key performance indicators—production, offtake and overburden removal (OBR)—in FY 2025–26, marking a significant operational milestone.The Bilaspur-headquartered coal major recorded a production of 176.2 million tonnes, up 5.26% from the previous fiscal, while offtake rose to 178.6 MT, reflecting a 4.6% increase. Overburden removal touched a record 364.3 million cubic metres, the highest ever for the company.SECL officials said that it also reported gains in environmental and sustainability measures, planting nearly 14 lakh saplings and commissioning 43.78 MW of solar capacity, leading to an estimated reduction of over 41,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions.
The company utilised 408 lakh kilolitres of mine water for irrigation, benefiting more than 3,800 hectares of land.In a push towards transparency, SECL improved coal grade confirmation from 68% to 75% and strengthened monitoring through its digital platform “DigiCOAL,” which has received national recognition from the central vigilance commission.The company also reported its highest-ever employment figures, providing jobs to 511 dependents and 754 project-affected persons, along with recruitment of mining personnel.
Highlighting innovation, SECL became the first coal PSU in India to implement paste fill technology for underground mining, aimed at improving safety and sustainability. Average coal loading reached 53.2 rakes per day, supported by enhanced rail infrastructure.The miner also advanced diversification plans in coal gasification, ultra-supercritical thermal power, critical minerals and rare earth exploration, aligning with evolving energy demands.Chairman-cum-Managing Director Harish Duhan credited the achievement to the workforce, stating that the performance reflects SECL’s commitment to ensuring the nation’s energy security despite operational challenges.
