Jambi -The Jambi Provincial Government was declared to have failed to meet the coal quota target in 2024 by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources. The reduced quota target even reached 8 million tons.
Jambi Governor Al Haris said the decrease in the quota was due to several obstacles, especially transportation routes both on land and rivers. According to him, the decreased quota was from the target of 19 million tons, only 11 million tons were realized.
“Yes, it comes back to this because the transportation is not optimal. We opened the land route through national access while it actually affected the traffic jam. We tried the river route but it was not optimal due to various things, that’s why the quota was not met,” said Al Haris, Friday (3/1/2025).
Al Haris said, if the coal production quota continues to decrease, then in 2025 the quota will also decrease. He considered this to be very influential if later ESDM imposes sanctions in reducing the amount of coal production.
“That’s why this year we are trying to take steps to overcome this problem. We have also held an evaluation meeting regarding Jambi Governor’s Instruction (Ingub) Number 1/INGUB/DISHUB/2024, right? Now, it’s just a matter of mutual agreement to find the best solution so that coal production can be fulfilled again,” said Al Haris.
Al Haris revealed that Jambi had once exceeded the coal quota set by ESDM. This happened in 2023.
“In 2023, the coal quota for Jambi was very high, and even met the required amount of 39 million tons. That is because the land route also runs along the river route, but if we open the land route again, there will be congestion. Well, we are looking for a solution,” explained Al Haris.
Al Haris hopes that in 2025, the coal production quota in Jambi can increase. However, according to him, it is difficult to fulfill if the transportation route is still hampered.
“If there is no solution to this, then I think this year our coal production quota will decrease again. This is what we must pay great attention to, if this decreases it will have a big impact on our profit sharing funds,” said Al Haris.
Al Haris emphasized that with the evaluation meeting on the coal route, it is certainly expected to get good results. Moreover, the meeting also involved representatives of the Jambi Coal Mining Entrepreneurs (PPTB) to discuss the obstacles faced and find the best solution.
“This is what we have to find a solution for the obstacles experienced by coal entrepreneurs. First, if we open the land route again, then we ensure the comfort of the Jambi community in facing coal transportation activities, right? This is what we have to think about,” said Al Haris.
Meanwhile, Deputy Chairman of Jambi DPRD Ivan Wirata claimed that the decline in coal production quota in Jambi was due to the unresolved special lane issue. According to him, the Provincial Government must immediately accelerate efforts to create a special coal lane so that the coal quota does not decrease and regional revenue sharing funds also increase.
“This is what we have conveyed long ago to the Jambi Provincial Government, especially to the governor. Immediately expedite the special route, because the only way and solution is to realize the special route,” said Ivan when contacted.
Ivan also questioned Al Haris’ seriousness in building a special coal route. Because the special route has not produced any results from year to year.
“If it is indeed constrained by the issue of investors who are not serious, then it would be better for the Governor to look for investors who are willing to invest in the special route, because if this special route is resolved then I think all of this will no longer be a problem,” explained Ivan.
According to Ivan, if the coal quota in Jambi continues to decrease, the amount of profit sharing funds in the Minerba sector will also decrease. Therefore, so that the profit sharing funds (DBH) do not decrease, he hopes that the Jambi Provincial Government will commit to building the special route.
“Now if the special lane is completed, of course everything will be optimal, the river lane is running, the land lane is the same, so it no longer interferes with the public lane, namely the national road. So the quota is fulfilled, DBH also increases for the Jambi region, and this also has an impact on the regional economy,” said Ivan.