Which state has the largest coal reserves (resources) in India?

According to the coal inventory of the Geological Survey of India and the Ministry of Coal, Jharkhand has the largest coal resources in India, a little over a quarter of the country's total. It is followed by Odisha and Chhattisgarh.

Coal resources by state (in order, approximately):

• Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana and Maharashtra.
• These states together account for nearly all of India's coal resources.

Production versus reserves:

Although Jharkhand has the largest resources, it is not always the largest producer. In recent years, Odisha and Chhattisgarh have produced more coal than Jharkhand.

Coalfields of Jharkhand:

• Most of Jharkhand's coal lies in the Damodar valley, a rift valley running east-west across the state.
• Important coalfields include Bokaro (East and West), North and South Karanpura, Ramgarh, Giridih and Hutar-Daltonganj.
• The Rajmahal coalfield lies in the north-east of the state.
• Jharkhand's coal is mostly of Gondwana age, and it contains important deposits of coking coal, which is used in the steel industry.

Coal companies in Jharkhand:

• Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL), headquartered in Dhanbad.
• Central Coalfields Limited (CCL), headquartered in Ranchi.
• Both are subsidiaries of Coal India Limited.

Dhanbad is known as the "Coal Capital of India". The Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines), Dhanbad, specialises in mining education.

Types of coal in India:

Gondwana coal (about 250 million years old) makes up about 98 per cent of India's coal. It is found in the river valleys of the Damodar, Son, Mahanadi, Godavari and Wardha.

Problems in Jharkhand's coal areas:

Underground fires, land subsidence, displacement of people, pollution and health problems.

Why not the other options?

• ✗Chhattisgarh has large coal resources (Korba, Mand-Raigarh) and is a leading producer, but it ranks third in resources.
• ✗Madhya Pradesh has the Singrauli and Sohagpur coalfields but smaller resources.
• ✗Telangana's coal lies in the Godavari valley, mined by Singareni Collieries.