By Editor In the last few years, India reached historical coal production levels with a domestic production of about 997.8 million tonnes in the FY 2023-2024. The production rose further in FY 2024-2025 as the provisional national totals exceeded 1,000 million tonnes.
Electricity in India is largely dependent on burning fossil fuels to produce energy, and coal is the primary source powering millions of homes throughout the country. Even though renewable energy is growing, coal is dominating the electricity production industry due to the increasing demand. However, do you know where coal comes from? Or, how much coal do Indian states produce?
To get this answer, we are going through government data, statistics, and other available information to make this list.
List of the Top 10 Largest Coal Producing States in India
Coal is called black diamond, and for India, it certainly is. As India is the second-largest coal producer around the globe, there are many states contributing to the 997 million tonnes. We are using data from the Ministry of Coal, Government of India, Coal India Limited (CIL) Reports 2024, Press Information Bureau (PIB) Updates, and Industry and News Reports to make this list.
1. Odisha – 239.20 Million Tonnes
Odisha tops the list with 239.20 million tonnes of coal production in the financial year 2023-24, which means Odisha alone contributes about 23-25% of national coal production. All this became possible with large open-cast mines in Talcher and Ib Valley coalfields. The coal extracted in Odisha is mainly used for the production of steel and power industries. Due to coal-rich lands, the Odisha government is also investing in developing better mine infrastructure and a coal handling facility to improve the dispatch process.
2. Chhattisgarh – 207.25 Million Tonnes
Chhattisgarh ranks second and produces 20% of the total national coal output. In the financial year 2023-24, Chhattisgarh produced around 207.25 million tonnes of coal, where Gondwana Coalfields dominated in the maximum production. These underground mines and open-cast mines are around Korba, Raigarh, and Surguja. Chhattisgarh coal feeds captive power plants, steel units, and national utilities. Production growth here reflects both capacity expansion and steady demand from nearby industries.
3. Jharkhand – 191.15 Million Tonnes
Jharkhand delivered about 191.16 million tonnes in FY 2023-24. The state has vast reserves and long-established mining areas such as Dhanbad, Bokaro, and Jharia. Jharkhand is an important source of both thermal and some coking-grade coal, and many industrial clusters depend on its output. Land and rehabilitation have been major issues in Jharkhand for many years. There is a need to modernize older underground mines to improve safety and productivity.
4. Madhya Pradesh – 159.22 Million Tonnes
Madhya Pradesh contributes 15 to 16% to national coal production and ranks fourth in the country for coal production. The total production is about 159.23 million tonnes in FY 2023-2024. There are many large coal deposits in central India, which have become increasingly important due to the capacities expanded in the last several years. Most mines in the Satpura and other central coalfields supply their coal for producing electricity. On the other hand, the same coal is supplied to central and western India as well.
5. Telangana – 72.52 Million tonnes
Telangana ranks fifth with 75.52 million tonnes of coal production as per FY 2023-24 numbers. Most coal produced in Telangana comes from Singareni Collieries, which is also termed as SCCL. This coal is further supplied to southern grids and local industries. Additionally, Telangana’s coalfield in the Godavari and Wardha basins has been offering a steady feed for power plants of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
6. Maharashtra – 69.28 Million Tonnes
Maharashtra contributed about 69.28 million tonnes in FY 2023-24. Coal mining here is concentrated in eastern districts such as Chandrapur and Nagpur (Wardha-Yavatmal coalfields). Maharashtra coal supports thermal power plants and local industries, and the state has invested in evacuation infrastructure to improve linkages to major load centres. While not as dominant as eastern coal states, Maharashtra’s steady production is important for the western regional energy mix and industrial demand.
7. West Bengal – 37.26 Million Tonnes
West Bengal ranks seventh in the list with 37.26 million tonnes of coal production. The coal in this state is widely used for local power stations and Industries, where the old but crucial coalfields in Raniganj are used. The coal mine history in West Bengal is long, and now the government is helping with improvements in infrastructure for safe methods of mining. There are also initiatives taken in the transport improvement to further assist production.
8. Uttar Pradesh – 21.50 Million Tonnes
Uttar Pradesh reported 21.51 million tonnes of coal production, where local minefields and coalfields are used in the overall production. The number may seem small compared to the eastern states, but the use case in local power plants and industries reduces reliance on other states. Currently, Uttar Pradesh is working on improving logistics and a steady fuel supply for thermal capacities and industrial demand.
9. Assam – 0.20 Million Tonnes
With the production of 2,00,000 KG or 0.200 million tonnes of coal in the financial year 2023-24, Assam ranks ninth in our list. Assam’s coal output is small relative to the major producing states, but it is locally important for industries and power units in the northeast. The state also has lignite and small coalfields, which are being explored and developed selectively. Expansion of coal activity in the region is cautious and often balanced with environmental and forest considerations.
10. Jammu & Kashmir – 0.012 Million tonnes
Jammu & Kashmir completes the list with the production of 0.012 million tonnes, which was a negligible number compared to the national coal output. There are various reasons behind the lower number, the major one being difficulty with coal activities in the Union Territory, which is mostly dependent upon local industries. There are small-scale development plans going on in the state to work on increasing overall production. Another reason behind lower production is the fragile mountain ecosystem, and it is risky to extract any further. However, the government is working on new and modern methods to make extraction safe without damaging the ecosystem.
Bottom Line
India’s coal map is clearly shaped by geology, history, and infrastructure. Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Madhya Pradesh together supply a large share of the country’s coal needs, while Telangana and Maharashtra provide important regional supplies. Smaller producers like West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, and states in the northeast still play useful local roles.
References:
- Ministry of Coal, Government of India
- Coal India Limited (CIL) Reports 2024
- Press Information Bureau (PIB) Updates
- Industry and News Reports on Indian Coal Mining