Cuddalore District - Economy

Economy

In 2006 the Ministry of Panchayati Raj named Cuddalore one of the country's 250 most backward districts (out of a total of 640). It is one of the six districts in Tamil Nadu currently receiving funds from the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme (BRGF).

नेयवेली लिग्नाइट कार्पोरेशन लिमिटेड ('Navratna' - A Government of India Enterprise) Neyveli-607801, Tamil Nadu, India.

MINE � I

Demarcated over an area of 26.69 km2. with a reserve of 365 million tones. Mine-I is situated on the northern part of the field adjacent to the Neyveli Township. This mine has a production capacity of 10.5 million tones of lignite per annum and feeds lignite to the 600 MW capacity of First Thermal Power Station and 420MW Thermal Power Station � I Expansion.

MINE 1A

To meet the fuel needs of the 250 MW Independent Power Project put up at Neyveli and additional requirements of NLC's Thermal Power Stations, NLC has developed a new mine, Mine-IA with a capacity of 3 million tonnes of lignite per annum. The tiny mine with a reserve of 120 million tonnes is spread over an area of 11.6 km2. The excavation of overburden commenced on 30 th July 2001 and the lignite production commenced on 30 th March 2003. The Mine-IA project is one of the mega projects of NLC that has been completed without cost and time over run.

MINE II

In February, 1978 Government of India sanctioned the Second Lignite Mine of capacity 4.7 MT of lignite per annum and in February 1983, Government of India sanctioned the expansion of Second Mine capacity from 4.7 Million Tonnes to 10.5 Million Tonnes. Further capacity expansion to 15 MT/A was sanctioned by Government of India in October 2004 and is presently under implementation.Unlike Mine-I, Mine-II had to face problems in the excavation of sticky clayey soil during initial stage. The method of mining and equipment used are similar to that of Mine-I.

This Mine is located 5 km south of Mine-I, spread over an area of 26 km2. with 390 million tonnes reserves. The initial mine cut was started in April 1981. The lignite seam was first exposed in September 1984 and regular lignite mining commenced from March 1985. The overburden thickness varies from 50–100 m and the lignite thickness varies from 8 to 22m. The average overburden to lignite ratio is 5m3 to a tonne. The lignite production in this mine meet the fuel requirements of Thermal Power Station-II. The method of mining and equipment used are similar to that of Mine-I.

The seam is the same as of Mine-I and is contiguous to it. The lignite seam in Mine-II was first exposed in September 1984 and the excavation of lignite commenced in March, 1985. The Last overburden system (surface bench system) under the expansion scheme was commissioned on 15.12.1991. The lignite excavated from Mine-II meets the fuel requirements of Thermal Power Station-II.