The Indian Newsprint Manufacturers Association (INMA) on Tuesday, 20 October wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking his urgent intervention to resolve chronic coal supply disruptions affecting its member companies — the primary producers of newsprint for India's leading print publications, including The Times of India, Hindustan Times, The Hindu, Navbharat Times, and Punjab Kesari.

The Core Complaint: FSAs Not Being Honoured

According to INMA's letter, member companies hold valid long-term Fuel Supply Agreements (FSAs) with subsidiaries of Coal India Limited (CIL) — specifically Northern Coalfields Limited (NCL), Central Coalfields Limited (CCL), South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL), and Western Coalfields Limited (WCL). Despite paying the applicable premium for assured coal supplies, members are reportedly not receiving their allocated coal rakes on schedule.

'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,' the association's letter stated. 'Given that newsprint is an essential input for the print media industry, continued production constraints may also affect the timely and adequate supply of newsprint to newspapers and other publications across the country.'

Erratic Dispatches Creating Financial Strain

INMA flagged a particular operational hazard: the bunching of allocated coal rakes. After prolonged delays, multiple rakes are reportedly dispatched within a short span, creating severe logistical and financial strain for manufacturers. The association said this erratic scheduling has led to difficulties in working capital management, coal handling, storage capacity, and transportation arrangements for its members.

This is not an isolated concern. Non-regulated sector (NRS) consumers — a category that includes newsprint manufacturers — have long flagged inconsistent coal allocations as a structural problem in India's coal distribution framework.

Power Sector Getting Over 95% of Coal: INMA

At the heart of the association's grievance is the alleged skew in coal dispatch priorities. INMA claimed that more than 95 per cent of coal is currently being dispatched to power plants, leaving NRS consumers severely under-supplied. The association has called for strict implementation of a Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) recommendation that mandates coal allocation in a 75:25 ratio between the power sector and the non-power sector.

Critics within the industry argue that the current dispatch pattern effectively sidelines a CCEA directive — a body that sits at the apex of the Union government's economic decision-making — raising questions about institutional compliance within the coal supply chain.

What This Means for Print Media

Newsprint is not a discretionary commodity for newspapers — it is the single largest input cost for print publications. A prolonged supply crunch at the manufacturing level could translate into higher newsprint prices or shortfalls for publishers, potentially affecting print runs and circulation. This comes at a time when the print media sector is already navigating long-term structural pressures from digital competition.

With the association having now escalated the matter directly to the Prime Minister's Office, the industry will be watching for whether the Centre directs CIL subsidiaries to restore scheduled rake dispatches and enforce the CCEA's 75:25 allocation norm.