Coal and Mines Minister G Kishan Reddy said on Thursday that heavy rainfall in September disrupted mining operations, leading to a temporary decline in production by Coal India Ltd (CIL), the state-owned coal producer.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Annual Plenary Session, the minister acknowledged that monsoon conditions had affected coal output during the month.

“Coal India’s production declined in September because of the rains,” Reddy said, noting that the weather-related slowdown was temporary.

However, he clarified that despite the dip, there is no shortage of coal in the country, and the supply to power plants and industries remains stable.

The minister emphasised that CIL continues to maintain sufficient stock levels to meet domestic demand and that coal availability across India’s thermal plants remains adequate.

Industry observers note that seasonal rainfall often affects open-cast mining operations during the monsoon months, but production typically rebounds in the following quarter as conditions improve.