Bharat Coking Coal Ltd has formally handed over the site of the Dugda Coal Washery to JSW Steel Ltd, marking the first-ever monetization of a coal washery in India. The handover ceremony took place on June 17, 2026, at BCCL Headquarters, Koyla Bhawan, Dhanbad. This initiative is a significant step towards asset monetization in the coal sector, undertaken under the guidance of the Ministry of Coal.

The Dugda Coal Washery has a capacity of 2.0 million tonnes per annum (MTPA). This project represents a historic milestone in the coal sector, aiming to modernize assets and increase operational efficiency through private sector participation. The transfer is expected to strengthen coal beneficiation, improve the availability of quality washed coking coal, and support the objectives of Mission Coking Coal by reducing import dependence.

Key Details of the Handover

The involvement of JSW Steel Ltd is anticipated to improve coal supply chain efficiency and promote sustainable coal processing. The project is expected to create new employment opportunities and provide impetus to industrial development in Jharkhand and adjoining regions. This move aligns with the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat, contributing to the creation of a self-reliant and robust coal sector.

The disclosure was made to the stock exchanges on June 18, 2026, under Regulation 30 of the SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015. The handover reflects BCCL's continued commitment to operational reforms and asset optimisation.

Bharat Coking Coal Limited reported a 25.5% decline in provisional raw coal production for May 2026, recording an output of 2.28 million tonnes compared to 3.06 million tonnes in the same period last year. The drop in production highlights operational challenges during the month, with cumulative figures for the first two months of the financial year also reflecting a downward trend. The total production from April to May 2026 stood at 4.27 million tonnes, a decrease of 33.8% from the 6.45 million tonnes produced in the corresponding period of the previous year.

The decline was driven primarily by reduced output from opencast mines, which fell by 25.7% to 2.23 million tonnes in May 2026. Underground mines also saw a contraction, with production dipping 18% to 0.05 million tonnes. Specifically, the production of coking coal decreased by 25.8% to 2.13 million tonnes, while non-coking coal production dropped 21.9% to 0.15 million tonnes for the month.

Despite the overall decline in raw coal, the production of washed coking coal provided a positive contrast, rising 22.4% to 0.16 million tonnes in May 2026. However, overburden removal, a critical activity in mining operations, plummeted 43% to 10.17 million cubic meters during the month. The cumulative overburden removal for April to May 2026 also fell by 40.9% to 21.58 million cubic meters.

Offtake of raw coal, which indicates the volume of coal despatched, also declined during the month. The provisional offtake for May 2026 was 2.71 million tonnes, a decrease of 15.7% compared to 3.22 million tonnes in the same period last year. The cumulative offtake for the two-month period stood at 4.97 million tonnes, down 20.9% from 6.29 million tonnes in the previous year.

The following table details the provisional monthly production performance for May 2026 and the progressive figures for April to May 2026: