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New Delhi: India's newsprint manufacturers have warned that irregular coal supplies are affecting production and could disrupt the availability of newsprint for newspapers across the country. The Indian Newsprint Manufacturers Association (INMA) has sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention, alleging that Coal India subsidiaries are not supplying coal according to agreed schedules despite manufacturers having valid long-term Fuel Supply Agreements (FSAs). The association represents manufacturers supplying newsprint to major publications, including The Times of India, Hindustan Times, The Hindu, Navbharat Times and Punjab Kesari. In its letter to the Prime Minister, INMA said, “Despite these long-term contractual arrangements, our members continue to face significant operational challenges due to irregular coal dispatches and inadequate supplies.” The manufacturers have agreements with Coal India subsidiaries, including Northern Coalfields, Central Coalfields, South Eastern Coalfields and Western Coalfields, covering deliveries through rail and road. According to INMA, its members are not receiving their allocated coal rakes on schedule despite paying premiums for assured supplies. The shortages have forced manufacturers to purchase coal from the open market at higher prices or depend on more expensive grid electricity to keep their plants operational. The association warned that the situation was preventing manufacturers from operating at full capacity and could eventually affect domestic newsprint availability. “The persistent shortage of coal has prevented our members from operating their manufacturing units at optimal capacity, adversely affecting production and potentially disrupting the availability of newsprint in the domestic market,” INMA said. It further warned that continued production constraints could affect the timely supply of newsprint to newspapers and other publications. Coal dispatch schedules have added to manufacturers' difficulties. According to the association, prolonged delays are sometimes followed by multiple coal rakes arriving within a short period, creating problems with storage, transportation, coal handling and working capital. The association has also questioned the allocation of coal between power generation and other industries. INMA alleged that more than 95% of coal dispatches are currently being directed towards power plants, leaving manufacturers in the non-regulated sector struggling to secure adequate supplies. It has urged the government to implement a 75:25 allocation ratio between the power and non-power sectors, citing a recommendation of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA). “We, therefore, request your kind intervention to review the existing coal allocation and dispatch pattern and implement the CCEA-recommended 75:25 ratio between the power and non-power sectors in accordance with the applicable policy framework and relevant government decisions,” the association said. INMA has also sought directions to Coal India subsidiaries to honour existing supply agreements and ensure regular dispatches. For newspaper publishers, prolonged disruption in domestic newsprint production could create additional procurement challenges, particularly if manufacturers continue to face higher fuel and operating costs. However, the extent to which these shortages have affected newspaper procurement prices or printing operations has not been independently established. The association has urged the government to act before the supply disruptions lead to further production losses and affect the availability of newsprint in the domestic market.

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In an urgent representation, the association, whose members supply newsprint to publications including The Times of India, Hindustan Times,

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