Coal - GS questions based on daily current affairs

ANSWER: Facilitate flexibility in utilization of domestic coal

Explanation:

• The Coal Mitra Web Portal has been designed to bring about flexibility in Utilization of Domestic Coal by transferring the reserves to more cost efficient State/Centre owned or Private sector generating stations, leading to lower generation costs and ultimately lesser cost of electricity for the consumers.
• The web portal would be used by the State/Central Gencos to display information about normative fixed and variable charges of electricity for the previous month as well as margin available for additional generation so as to enable the utilities identify stations for transfer of coal. It would host data on Operational and Financial parameters of each coal based station; Quantity and source of supply coal to the power plant; and Distance of Power plant form the Coal mine.

ANSWER: Both

Explanation:
- Coal reserves in India is one of the largest in the world.
Depending upon its grade from highest to lowest following, The coal found in India can be classified as Anthracite Coal, Bituminous Coal, Lignite (Brown Coal), Peat etc.
- Bituminous Coal: This is the most widely used coal and contains 50 to 85 per cent carbon. It is dense, compact, and brittle and is usually of black color. Most of the bituminous coal is found in Jharkhand, Orissa, West Bengal, Chattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.
- Lignite ( Brown Coal): lignite is a lower grade coal and contains about 35-50 per cent carbon. It is found in Palna of Rajasthan, Neveli to Tamil Nadu, Lakhimpur of Assam and Karewa of Jammu and Kashmir.
- Peat:This is the first stage of transformation of wood into coal and contains less than 35 per cent carbon. It is seldom sufficiently compact to make a good fuel without compressing into bricks. Left to itself, it burns like wood, gives less heat, emits more smoke and leaves a lot of ash after burning.