Why in the news?

• The Commerce Ministry has launched a coal analytics dashboard named ‘Koyla Shakti’ to enhance transparency, data-driven decision-making, and real-time monitoring in the coal sector.

Koyla Shakti Dashboard

• What is it?: A unified digital dashboard (Smart Coal Analytics Dashboard – SCAD) that integrates the entire coal value-chain from production (mines) through transportation (rail/road/ports) to end-use (power, steel, cement) in real-time.
• Key Features:
  • Real-time monitoring and tracking of coal production, dispatch, and transportation activities.
  • Data integration from multiple stakeholders, including coal PSUs, private miners, Indian Railways, ports, power utilities, and state mining departments through e-Khanij platforms.
  • Advanced analytical tools using AI for demand forecasting, logistics optimization, and supply chain efficiency.
  • Automated alerts and notifications for disruptions or deviations in coal operations.
  • Standardized data formats and performance indicators for uniformity across agencies.
  • Scalable architecture to incorporate future digital systems and additional data sources.
  • The dashboard was launched alongside the CLAMP Portal (Coal Land Acquisition, Management, and Payment) which digitizes land acquisition processes for coal projects.
  • The system consolidates data from over 15 ports and integrates more than 48 APIs to create a seamless digital coal ecosystem.
• Significance:
  • Enhances transparency and accountability, reducing manual errors and reporting delays.
  • Facilitates better coordination and decision-making by providing policymakers with a comprehensive and real-time view of the coal sector.
  • Helps optimize coal supply chain operations, thereby improving supply reliability for industries dependent on coal.
  • Supports evidence-based policy formulation and strategic planning through data analytics.
  • Contributes to India’s energy security and sustainable resource management.
  • Marks a milestone in digital governance and operational modernization of India’s coal industry.
• Challenges:
  • Data Quality & Integration: Ensuring all stakeholders (public, private, state, central) feed accurate, timely data, and that systems talk to each other.
  • Digital Divide & Access: Smaller mines/units or remote regions may face difficulty in digital interface uptake.
  • Change in Management of Operations: Operational practices will need to adapt. e.g., real-time tracking may alter logistics contracts, inventory practices.
  • Privacy & Security: Large data flows (multi-stakeholder, real-time) raise issues of cybersecurity, commercial confidentiality, state vs private data access.
  • Scaling & Future Expansion: While the dashboard covers many nodes already, further expansion (to deeper value-chain, more players, cross-domain data like emissions, mine reclamation) will require continued investment.