Newsprint makers seek PM Modi's intervention over coal shortages, demand 75:25 allocation ratio

The Indian Newsprint Manufacturers' Association (INMA) has sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's direct intervention to resolve persistent coal supply disruptions, warning that irregular dispatches and inadequate allocations are constraining domestic production and threatening supplies to the print media industry.

In an urgent representation to the Prime Minister, the association, which represents manufacturers supplying newsprint to leading publications, including The Times of India, Hindustan Times, The Hindu, Navbharat Times, and Punjab Kesari, sought timely coal dispatches under existing fuel supply agreements (FSAs) with Coal India Limited (CIL) subsidiaries.

“Despite valid long-term agreements with subsidiaries, including Northern Coalfields Limited (NCL), Central Coalfields Limited (CCL), South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL) and Western Coalfields Limited (WCL), manufacturers are not receiving allocated coal rakes according to agreed schedules,” INMA said.

“The shortages have forced mills to procure coal from the open market at exorbitant prices and rely on grid electricity at substantially higher costs to keep their plants operational,” the association said.

Prolonged delays followed by the sudden bunching of multiple coal rakes have added to financial and logistical pressures, creating challenges involving working capital, coal handling, storage capacity and transportation.

INMA warned that the supply constraints were preventing manufacturers from operating at optimal capacity, raising the risk of production cuts, domestic market disruptions and financial stress across the print media supply chain.