Which is the most abundantly available fossil fuel in India? Assess the importance of its different forms.

Coal is the most abundantly used fossil fuel in the country. It provides a substantial part of the nation’s energy needs.

(i) Lignite-It is a low-grade brown coal, which is soft with high moisture content and used for electricity generation.

(ii) Bituminous coal- The coal that has been buried deep and subjected to increased temperature is bituminous coal. It is the most popular coal in commercial use.

(iii) Anthracite- It is the highest quality hard coal and considered a metallurgical coal which has a special value for smelting iron in blast furnaces.