A Parliamentary Standing Committee has asked the Ministry of Coal in India to develop a time-bound strategy to assess the viability of exporting washed coal to neighboring countries after securing domestic supply and to expand and modernize India's coal washery infrastructure, local media reported.

The suggestions are part of the Twenty-seventh Report of the Standing Committee on Coal, Mines, and Steel, chaired by Bharatiya Janata Party MP Anurag Singh Thakur, which was tabled in Parliament on July 29. The document focuses on infrastructure needed to raise washed coal output in India.

The committee pointed out that India has surpassed one billion tonnes of coal production for the second consecutive year and remains the world's second-largest coal producer and consumer. Despite this, high ash content continues to limit domestic coal quality.

It noted that inferior coal undermines combustion efficiency, equipment life and environmental performance, and stressed that coal beneficiation should be given priority through a scheduled expansion and technological upgrade of washery facilities.

The panel stated that India does not export washed coal because demand from power and steel industries comes first. It added that planned increases in washing capacity and improvements in coal quality could open export opportunities, especially in nearby Asian markets.

The ministry was advised to speed up an evaluation of export potential and craft a long-term export framework once domestic needs are met.

Addressing technological gaps, the report highlighted that major coal-producing nations such as Australia, the U.S., China, South Africa, Russia and Poland have moved to advanced coal beneficiation methods.

It recommended that the ministry draw up a technology adoption pathway for India, incorporating phased introduction of advanced washing systems and next-generation dry beneficiation techniques suited to high-ash domestic coal reserves.

The committee also observed that only a small number of washeries meet the mandated organic efficiency standard of 95%, with several older units running below capacity due to outdated equipment. It called for time-bound reviews, clear performance targets and accountability structures to lift operational efficiency and coal recovery across washing plants.

To cut logistics expenses and streamline operations, the panel proposed that future washeries be located at or close to pitheads wherever practical. The report argued that moving high-ash raw coal over long distances before washing places unnecessary strain on rail and road networks, and that washery development should be integrated with mine expansion plans and first-mile connectivity projects.

On environmental oversight, the report raised concerns that washery rejects are set to grow as washing capacity expands. It suggested putting in place a comprehensive monitoring and reporting system, backed by regular audits and digital tracking tools, to oversee the generation, utilization and disposal of rejects in line with the Washery Reject Policy of 2021.

The committee further urged a stronger institutional role for the Coal Controller's Organization (CCO). It noted that CCO's current duties are limited mainly to facilitating reject disposal and verifying calorific values, despite its deep sectoral knowledge.

The panel suggested gradually widening its mandate to cover washery performance monitoring, coal quality checks, capacity utilization, environmental compliance and reject management, allowing it to act as a technical oversight and knowledge-support agency.

Moreover, the committee pressed for a unified digital monitoring and data-sharing platform that would combine operational, environmental and regulatory data from all washeries. It urged the ministry to set out a roadmap and timeline for deploying such a real-time digital governance architecture in coordination with all relevant stakeholders.