New Delhi, Aug. 19 -- The Ministry of Coal has outlined plans to establish 102 first-mile connectivity (FMC) projects by FY30 in a bid to modernise coal evacuation and reduce dependence on road transport.

In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha on Monday, Union Minister of Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy said 44 FMC projects with a combined capacity of 429.5 million tonnes per year (MTY) are currently operational.

Another 58 projects are expected to be commissioned before FY30.

FMC systems replace conventional road-based transportation of coal with mechanised solutions such as closed conveyor belts, rapid loading systems, and integrated coal handling plants.

Officials said these projects are designed to reduce air pollution and greenhous...