India modernizes coal mining operations

India said, Tuesday, that it would adopt advanced technologies to modernize its coal mining operations in the country. Minister of State for Coal, Pratik Prakash Bapu Patil, said that Coal India Limited (CIL) has set up a proposal before government to further modernize mining operations in India\'s coal mines. For this purpose, the minister said a committee has been constituted to look after technology upgrading and modernization of coal mining operations. Coal India Limited (CIL) is an organized state owned coal mining corporate, which came into being in November 1975 with the government taking over private coal mines. The minister said the ministry has already floated Expression of Interest (EoI) for inviting proposals from International Consultancy firms for the modernization. Coal meets around 52 percent of primary commercial energy needs in India against 29 percent the world over. Around 66 percent of India\'s power generation is coal based. India is the 3rd largest coal producing country in the world, after China and the US.