Do not read too much into the extension of the due date for receiving bids for auction of coal mines, announced by the coal ministry today. But give or take a few million tonnes, domestic coal production has seemingly reached its peak for the Indian economy.

       Signalling the changing times, state run Coal India Limited (CIL) has announced it will explore producing solar wafers. Annual production at CIL mines is rising at a crawl because what the industry needs is not available under Indian soil. There is no lack of effort from the coal ministry and state-run Coal India to hurry things ...