As the energy sector moves away from fossil fuels and shifts towards a greater share of renewables and greater electrification, these tax revenues will come under strain.

This paper analyses the periodic coal shortages in the post-monsoon months at power plants in India and suggests some ways forward to address them.

There is mounting evidence of the severe health impacts of household air pollution from burning traditional fuels such as firewood, agricultural residue, dung, coal and kerosene for cooking. This is particularly relevant in the Indian context where more than 75% of rural households in India primarily use such fuels.

Following the Supreme Court judgement of 2014 cancelling the allocation of more than 200 captive coal blocks, the government quickly brought in legislation and began the process of their reallocation. While the new allocation framework is an improvement over the previous regime, it suffers from many potentially serious shortcomings.

Energy is a key input for the socio-economic development of a country, particularly for countries like India. Hence, it is important to holistically and objectively understand and assess the country’s energy sector, so that policies and interventions can be appropriately prioritized to further the country’s development.

India is beset with a huge coal shortage that is affecting its power production, necessitating coal imports and increasing its trade deficit. This report analyzes the causes leading to the shortage and the Government's response to it.

This report presents a broad overview of the coal sector, highlights key challenges and provides suggestions on overcoming them. It calls for an independent regulator to look after planning and execution, transparency mechanisms alongwith the compliance to environmental norms.