New Delhi, August 6: Union Minister for Coal and Mines, G. Kishan Reddy, chaired a meeting of the Consultative Committee of Parliament members on Thursday. The meeting focused on reforms in commercial coal mining and measures to enhance private sector participation.
During the meeting, the minister emphasized that the Coal Ministry is actively engaging with private companies and industry organizations. Roadshows and consultations with various stakeholders are being organized nationwide to raise awareness about commercial coal mining and to boost private sector involvement.
G. Kishan Reddy informed the committee that 14 rounds of auctions for commercial coal mines have been successfully completed, with the process for the 15th round currently underway. He noted that the transparent auction system has significantly transformed India’s coal sector, fostering competition and attracting investment.
The meeting was attended by Coal Ministry Secretary Vikram Dev Datt, senior officials from the ministry, and representatives from public sector coal companies.
Coal Secretary Vikram Dev Datt stated that both captive and commercial coal mines have played a crucial role in helping India achieve a coal production milestone of one billion tons over the past two financial years. He mentioned that in the last financial year, these mines contributed approximately 20% to the country’s total coal production. He also highlighted that ongoing reforms in the coal sector have notably reduced the time required to operationalize mines.
According to Datt, the timeline for starting operations in fully explored coal mines has decreased from 51 months to 40 months. For partially explored mines, this duration has reduced from 66 months to 52 months.
Additionally, Rupinder Barar, Additional Secretary of the Coal Ministry, presented a detailed overview on the topic of “Reforms in Commercial Coal Mining and Promoting Private Sector Participation.”
Members of the parliamentary committee praised the ministry’s efforts in implementing reforms in the coal sector. They also provided several suggestions on enhancing private sector participation while balancing environmental concerns and the interests of local communities in the expansion of commercial mining.
Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy assured the committee members that all their suggestions would be thoroughly examined and given due consideration in future policies and decisions.
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