The Ministry of Coal is taking up 67 first mile connectivity (FMC) projects with a capacity to load 885 million tonnes coal per annum.
Of these, 59 will be by Coal India Limited, 5 by Singareni Collieries Company Limited and 3 by NLC India Limited. These projects are expected to be completed by 2027. In order to eliminate road transportation of coal in mines, the ministry has developed a plan to improve the mechanised coal transportation and loading system under FMC project. Crushing, coal size, and quick computer-assisted loading are advantages of coal handling plants and silos with rapid loading systems. These FMC projects will reduce manual intervention, help in precise pre-weighed quantity, quicker loading, and better coal quality.