Coal India Ltd (CIL) aims to increase production of the coal by 9 per cent this fiscal year-on-year.

S Narsing Rao, Chairman of the world's leading coal miner, said that that the company aimed to produce 492 million tonne (MT) of coal during the current fiscal. He was speaking to reporters following a performance review meeting with Coal Minister Sri Prakash Jaiswal.

Speaking on the topic, Mr. Rao said, "We will increase our production to 492 million tonne (MT) this financial year. This would be a 9% jump over the achievement last fiscal and we are confident of achieving it."

During the last fiscal that ended March 31, 2013, CIL had aimed to produce 454 MT of coal, but it could produce only 452 MT. But, the company claimed that the marginal shortfall was due to last minute troubles in mining, such as a workers' strike.

Despite the strike and other issues, the company had achieved a year-on-year growth of 6.5 per cent, overcoming nearly two years of flat production growth.

Earlier on Thursday, Power Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia held a meeting with Mr. Jaiswal to discuss differences between CIL and government-run power producer NTPC Ltd. But, he didn't provide any details about the meeting.

NTPC and other power producers have long been complaining that CIL supplies poor-quality coal; while CIL has been denying the allegation.