Lok Sabha Question No. 3424 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-23
Subject: Production from Discontinued Mines
Ministry: COAL
Asked by: Gaurav Gogoi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COAL

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3424 TO BE ANSWERED ON 23.03.2022

## PRODUCTION FROM DISCONTINUED MINES

## 3424. SHRI GAURAV GOGOI:

Will the Minister of COAL be pleased to state:

(a)  whether the Government has announced that 100 shut or production discontinued  mines  of  Coal  India  will  be  operated  in  partnership  with private companies;

(b)  if  so,  whether  a  consultation  meeting  with  private  sector  has  been held in this regard and if so, the details of participants;

(c)  the terms of revenue-sharing envisioned for such partnership;

(d)  the  reasons  for  shutting  or  discontinuing  production  in  these  100 mines;

(e)  whether such a step is counter-productive to the 7 February, 2022 statement  of the Government  with  respect  to  eco-friendly  use  of abandoned coal mines;

(f) the  impact  of  the  decision  to  use  de-coaled  areas  for  extensive plantation,  development  of  eco/mine  tourism  parks,  agricultural  fields, orchards, creating water bodies to augment ground water recharge and drinking water supply, etc.; and

(g)  the  effects  of  reopening  of  100  mines  on  India's  coal  phase  down pledges made in COP26?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS, COAL AND MINES  (SHRI PRALHAD JOSHI)

(a)  : Government has  tentatively  identified  as  of  now  13  discontinued mines of Coal India Limited to be operated in partnership with private companies.

(b) : Consultations with stakeholders of private sector for preparation of model document for tendering of these discontinued mines was held on 24.02.2022 at  New Delhi  and on  11.03.2022 at  CMPDI (HQ),  Ranchi. The following participants have attended the meeting:-

1.   M/s Adani Enterprises
2.   M/s Shyam Steel, Kolkata
3.   M/s Birla Corporation
4.   M/s Odisha Coal and Power Limited
5.   M/s JSPL
6.   M/s GSECL, Vadodra
7.   M/s NALCO
8.   M/s JMS Mining Pvt. Ltd.
9.   M/s SMS Limited
10. M/s Maheshwari Mining Pvt. Ltd.
11. M/s WBPDCL, Kolkata
12. M/s Eimeco Elecon Limted
13. M/s Tata Steel
14. M/s EMIL, Kolkata
15. M/s BLA Power
16. M/s BGR Mining Infra Limited
17. M/s OMC Limited, Bhubhaneshwar
18. M/s AEL
19. M/s  UPRVUNL
20. M/s NTPC Ltd.
21. M/s RCCPL Pvt. Ltd.
22. M/s THDC India Limited
23. M/s Technoblast Mining Corporation
24. M/s BS Ispat Ltd.
25. M/s SCCL
26. M/s Hindalco
27. M/s South West Pinnacle Explosive Ltd.
28. M/s Jaypee Group
29. M/s Sainik Mining & Allied Services Ltd.
30. M/s Sandvik India
31. M/s Vedanta
32. M/s Dalmia Cement Bharat Ltd.

(c) : Model tender document is under preparation.

(d) :  The  reasons  for  shutting  or  discontinuing  production  was  as follows:-

1. Viability issues /  unprofitable operation of mines
2. Difficult geo-mining conditions
3. Lack of suitable technology to extract deeper resources, etc.

(e): No, Sir.

(f) :  After extraction of coal from these mines, de-coaled areas of these mines  will  also  be  used  for  extensive  plantation,  development  of eco/mine  tourism  parks,  agricultural  fields,  orchards,  creating  water bodies  to  augment  ground  water  recharge  and  drinking  water  supply, etc.

(g) : The  above  decision to operate some  discontinued  mines  in partnership  with  private  companies,  has  been  taken  to  meet  the  high demand of coal. It is not likely to affect India's coal phase down pledges made in COP26.

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