State-owned CIL, the country's largest coal producer, on Friday reported a 9.7 per cent drop in coal production to 56.1 million tonnes (MT) in April, raising concerns over meeting the country's surging energy demands. The slump in coal production is significant as coal remains the backbone of the country's power generation, accounting for over 70 per cent of electricity output. Coal India Ltd (CIL) produced 62.1 MT of coal in April 2025-26.