The Indian coal ministry expects coal dispatch to exceed one billion tonnes in the current fiscal year, according to a statement. The ministry has set a target to produce and dispatch 1,012 million tonnes of coal, and it anticipates that the second half of the year will see a higher rate of production and dispatch. In the previous fiscal year, 500 million tonnes of coal had been dispatched by 9 November, while this year the same mark was achieved on 17 October, 23 days earlier.