India's coal production and dispatch increased in November compared with the same month last year, government data showed, as state-run Coal India Ltd. and private miners ramped up operations to address power demand.

Coal output last month rose 11.03% on the year to a record 84.53 million tonnes, the coal ministry said in a statement.

Coal India accounted for 65.97 million tonnes of production during the month, up 8.74% from 60.67 million tonnes last year.

Coal supplies also gained in India, with provisional data showing shipments increased 9.02% on year to 81.63 million tonnes last month, versus 74.87 million tonnes in November 2022.

Coal India's dispatches were 62.26 million tonnes, 3.92% higher than 59.91 million tonnes during the same period a year earlier.

In the first eight months of the current fiscal, the nation's coal production jumped 12.73% on year at 591.28 million tonnes. Dispatches increased 11.70% to 623.04 million tonnes during the period.

The ministry highlighted higher production and supplies are important for ensuring steady power supply nationwide.

The world's second-largest coal producer aims to produce 1 billion tonnes of the fossil fuel by the end of this fiscal. Coal fuels over 70% of India's electricity demand.