Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) under the Ministry of Coal has denied allegations of a ₹1,600 crore coal scam involving the disappearance of nearly 40 lakh tonnes of coal. The company stated that its coal production, transportation, stock management and dispatch operations are monitored through advanced digital systems including SAP, Coal Net, RFID, GPS tracking, CCTV surveillance and electronic weighbridges, ensuring complete transparency and accountability.
Key Highlights
✅ SCCL denies reports of 40 lakh tonnes of missing coal worth ₹1,600 crore
✅ Coal movement monitored through SAP, Coal Net, RFID and GPS systems
✅ Union Coal Minister G. Kishan Reddy seeks probe into allegations
✅ SCCL says robust digital security framework prevents coal theft
Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) has strongly refuted allegations of a massive coal scam involving the disappearance of nearly 40 lakh tonnes of coal valued at approximately ₹1,600 crore. The public sector coal producer clarified that reports suggesting large-scale irregularities in coal stocks are baseless and do not reflect the company’s operational realities.
The clarification comes after Union Coal Minister G. Kishan Reddy wrote to Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, urging an immediate investigation into media reports claiming significant coal shortages within SCCL. The issue has also triggered political debate, with the opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) demanding a detailed inquiry.
According to SCCL, every stage of coal production and supply is monitored through a comprehensive digital ecosystem. The company explained that around 85 per cent of its coal supplies are transported by rail, while the remaining 15 per cent are dispatched through road transport networks. Coal allocation, dispatch schedules, consumer details and supply quantities are managed through an integrated SAP-based platform, ensuring digital traceability.
Senior company officials stated that data relating to every tonne of coal is continuously tracked through Coal Net, SAP and other online monitoring systems. Coal transported by road passes through electronic weighbridges, while vehicle movements are monitored using RFID-enabled barriers, GPS/GPRS tracking systems and geofencing technology.
The company further noted that loading and dispatch details of railway wagons are digitally recorded and verified. SCCL’s security infrastructure includes 24×7 CCTV surveillance, RFID systems, flying squads, security personnel, check-posts, stockyard monitoring, hologram challans and regular surprise inspections at mines, coal handling plants and transportation corridors.
SCCL management asserted that the allegations of coal theft or disappearance are unfounded because the entire coal handling process operates under a highly secure and technologically advanced monitoring framework. Officials emphasized that the existing systems make large-scale diversion or disappearance of coal extremely difficult without detection.
In his June 10 communication, Union Minister Kishan Reddy highlighted reports claiming that nearly 40 lakh tonnes of coal worth ₹1,600 crore had gone missing from SCCL stocks. He stated that if the allegations were found to be true, they could negatively impact the financial stability and future growth prospects of the company.
The minister also referred to SCCL’s financial position, noting that the company is already facing challenges due to unpaid dues exceeding ₹51,500 crore from the Telangana government. He cautioned that any proven irregularities could further weaken the coal producer’s financial health.
SCCL remains one of India’s largest coal mining companies and is jointly owned by the Government of Telangana (51 per cent) and the Government of India (49 per cent).
