CAG Flags Coal India’s Slow Progress On Solar Targets
COAL & MINING

CAG Flags Coal India’s Slow Progress On Solar Targets

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has criticised state-run Coal India Ltd (CIL) for delays in executing its solar power mandate, noting that the company had installed only 122.49 MW of solar capacity by December 2024, representing just 4.08 per cent of its 3,000 MW target.

In its latest report, the government auditor said Coal India and its subsidiaries had fallen significantly short of the goal assigned by the Centre in 2017, under which CIL was expected to develop 3,000 MW of solar power capacity by 2024 as part of its transition towards becoming a Net Zero energy company. The CAG urged the coal major to fast-track project execution to meet its clean energy objectives.

The report noted that, as of December 2024, work orders had been issued for only 692.50 MW of ground-mounted solar projects and 34.56 MW of rooftop projects. These projects are now expected to be commissioned by 2027–28, following extensions to the original timelines.

To implement the renewable energy mandate, Coal India had entered into joint ventures with NTPC Ltd and NLC India Limited for the development of 1,000 MW of solar capacity each, in addition to signing a memorandum of understanding with Solar Energy Corporation of India Ltd. The company also set up a dedicated special purpose vehicle, CIL Navikarniya Urja Ltd, to execute solar projects on a fast-track basis.

Coal India accounts for more than 80 per cent of India’s domestic coal production. The CAG said the slow pace of solar capacity addition highlights the need for stronger execution and monitoring mechanisms to align the company’s operations with national clean energy and decarbonisation goals.

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has criticised state-run Coal India Ltd (CIL) for delays in executing its solar power mandate, noting that the company had installed only 122.49 MW of solar capacity by December 2024, representing just 4.08 per cent of its 3,000 MW target. In its latest report, the government auditor said Coal India and its subsidiaries had fallen significantly short of the goal assigned by the Centre in 2017, under which CIL was expected to develop 3,000 MW of solar power capacity by 2024 as part of its transition towards becoming a Net Zero energy company. The CAG urged the coal major to fast-track project execution to meet its clean energy objectives. The report noted that, as of December 2024, work orders had been issued for only 692.50 MW of ground-mounted solar projects and 34.56 MW of rooftop projects. These projects are now expected to be commissioned by 2027–28, following extensions to the original timelines. To implement the renewable energy mandate, Coal India had entered into joint ventures with NTPC Ltd and NLC India Limited for the development of 1,000 MW of solar capacity each, in addition to signing a memorandum of understanding with Solar Energy Corporation of India Ltd. The company also set up a dedicated special purpose vehicle, CIL Navikarniya Urja Ltd, to execute solar projects on a fast-track basis. Coal India accounts for more than 80 per cent of India’s domestic coal production. The CAG said the slow pace of solar capacity addition highlights the need for stronger execution and monitoring mechanisms to align the company’s operations with national clean energy and decarbonisation goals.

Related Stories

Gold Stories

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

Vedanta Metal Bazaar Expands to Global Markets

Vedanta Aluminium has expanded its digital e-commerce platform, Vedanta Metal Bazaar, to international markets, enabling overseas customers to order and purchase aluminium products online.The platform will now be available to buyers across Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas, providing a digital gateway for export transactions with 24x7 access.In FY26, Vedanta Metal Bazaar processed transactions worth nearly $4.1 billion, or over Rs 380 billion, and fulfilled more than 23,000 orders. The platform is also used regularly by more than 550 MSMEs in India alongside large OEM customers.The export ..

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

Ramky Infrastructure Q1 FY27 Revenue Rises 24.3%

Ramky Infrastructure Limited reported a 24.3% year-on-year increase in consolidated revenue from operations to Rs 471.2 crore for Q1 FY27, compared with Rs 3.79 billion in the corresponding quarter of FY26.Standalone revenue from operations rose 27.5% YoY to Rs 4.51 billion from Rs 3.54 billion, while total standalone income increased 35% to Rs 5.32 billion.Consolidated profit before tax stood at Rs 540.9 million during the quarter. The company highlighted a sharp sequential improvement compared with a pre-exceptional loss of Rs 190.1 million in Q4 FY26.Two of the three projects awarded during..

Next Story
Technology

LTTS Launches AgenticIQ AI Platform for Engineering

L&T Technology Services (LTTS) has launched AgenticIQ, an end-to-end agentic AI platform designed for engineering and manufacturing organisations.The platform is aimed at helping enterprises move beyond isolated AI pilots by enabling autonomous, multi-agent workflows across engineering, product development, manufacturing, industrial operations and customer experience.AgenticIQ is built on LTTS’ Engineering Intelligence portfolio and converts existing engineering capabilities into specialised, reusable AI agents. Its planning-first architecture is embedded into engineering and production ..

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement