Lok Sabha Question No. 1501 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-04
Subject: Sustainable Coal Production
Ministry: COAL
Asked by: Smt. Bharti Pardhi, Shri Arvind Ganpat Sawant, Shri Shrirang Appa Chandu Barne, Shri Jai Prakash

## 1501.  Shri Jai Prakash:

Shri Shrirang Appa Chandu Barne:

Smt. Bharti Pardhi:

Shri Arvind Ganpat Sawant:

Will the Minister of COAL be pleased to state:

(a) whether sustainable development of the coal sector require measures to protect the environment, conserve resources, care for society and safeguard our forests and biodiversity;

(b) if so, the strategies adopted for the implementation of sustained growth in coal production and the time by which such strategies are likely to be implemented;

(c) the details of the recent reforms that have increased coal production and the number of closed mines that have been reopened state-wise particularly in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh; and

(d)  the steps taken /proposed to be taken to become self-reliant in coal production and the extent to which the country has become self-reliant in coal production so far?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF COAL AND MINES

## (SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY)

(a) & (b): Yes Sir. Sustainable development of the coal sector requires protection of environment, conserve resources, care for society and safeguarding forests and biodiversity.  The Government is taking  following  measures to  protect  the  environment,  conserve  resources,  care  for  society  and safeguard our forests and biodiversity for sustainable development of the coal sector:

(i)    For  opening  a  new  mine or for enhancement in Production Capacity and / or land area, prior Environmental Clearance (EC) is obtained from Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change (MoEF&CC) under Environment (Protection) Act & Rules, 1986 and EIA Notification, 2006 and subsequent amendments. The mines are operated complying with the EC conditions thereby ensuring environment sustainability.

(ii)    In  compliance  of  the  Van  (Sanrakshan  evam  Samvardhan)  Adhiniyam,  1980,  prior  Forestry Clearance is also obtained from MoEF&CC, in case of projects involving forest land.

(iii)    Guidelines  for  Mining  Plan  and  Mine  closure  plan  are  issued  by  the  Ministry  with  an  aim of conserving resources, protection of environment and  care for society. Goal is to achieve its coal production target sustainably and ensure land usage for future generations after final closure of the mine.  This  closure  process  ensures  both  environmental  sustainability  and  adherence  to  statutory regulations. As stipulated in Mine Closure guidelines, biological reclamation, development of green belt,  Air  and  Water  and  other  environmental  Quality  management  etc.  is  carried  out  during  the operational period of the mine as well as during the post closure period of the mine. Compliance of closure activities as per the guideline is checked by empanelled third party agency and verified by the regional office of the CCO at periodic intervals.

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COAL

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1501 TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.12.2024

## Sustainable Coal Production

(iv)     After receipt of EC, Consent to Establish (CTE) and Consent to Operate (CTO) are also obtained from respective State Pollution Control Boards under Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act,1981 and Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act,1974.

(v)   In compliance of the EC/ CTE/ CTO conditions, regular environmental monitoring with respect to  ambient  air  quality,  effluent  quality,  noise  level  monitoring  and  ground  water  (both  levels  and quality)  are  monitored  and  reports  are  submitted  to  MoEF&CC  /  State  Pollution  Control  Boards (SPCBs) / Central Ground Water Board (CGWB).

(vi)    Coal/Lignite PSUs have undertaken various environmentally sustainable measures which interalia include: Greening Initiatives-Bio-Reclamation/Plantation, development of Eco-parks, Efficient utilization  of  mine  water,  Gainful  Utilization  of  Overburden,  Energy  Efficiency  Measures,  Green Credit Programm e, First Mile Connectivity (FMC) projects, Deployment of Blast free technology in coal mining, and Renewable Energy and clean coal initiatives, etc.

(c) & (d): The details of the reforms that have increased coal production to make the country selfsufficient in the production of coal are as under:

- i. Enactment  of  Mines  and  Minerals  (Development  and  Regulation)  Amendment  Act,  2021 [MMDR Act] for enabling captive mines owners (other than atomic minerals) to sell up to 50% of  their  annual  mineral  (including  coal)  production  in  the  open  market  after  meeting  the requirement of the end use plant linked with the mine in such manner as may be prescribed by the Central Government on payment of such additional amount.
- ii. Single Window Clearance portal for the coal sector to speed up the operationalization of coal mines.
- iii. Project Monitoring Unit for hand-holding of coal block allottees for obtaining various approvals / clearances for early operationalization of coal mines.
- iv. Auction  of  commercial  mining  on  revenue  sharing  basis  was  launched  in  2020.  Under commercial mining scheme, rebate of 50 % on final offer has been allowed for the quantity of coal produced earlier than scheduled date of production. Further, incentives on coal gasification or liquefaction (rebate of 50 % on final offer) have been granted.
- v. Terms  and  conditions  of  commercial  coal  mining  are  very  liberal  with  no  restriction  on utilization of coal, allowing new companies to participate in the bidding process, reduced upfront amount, adjustment of upfront amount against monthly payment, liberal efficiency parameters to  encourage  flexibility  to  operationalize  the  coal  mines,  transparent  bidding  process,  100% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) through automatic route and revenue sharing model based on the National Coal Index.
- vi. Coal India Limited (CIL) has adopted number of measures to increase coal production. In its Underground (UG) mines, CIL is adopting Mass Production Technologies (MPT), mainly with Continuous Miners (CMs), wherever feasible. CIL has also planned Highwalls (HW) mines in view of the availability of Abandoned/ Discontinued mines. CIL is also planning large capacity UG mines wherever feasible. In its Opencast (OC) mines, CIL already has State-of-the- Art technology in its high-capacity Excavators, Dumpers and Surface Miners.
- vii. SCCL  has  initiated  action  for  developing  infrastructure  for  evacuation  of  coal  like  CHPs, Crushers, Mobile Crushers, Pre-weigh-bins etc.
- viii. CIL has identified 28 mines with capacity of 253 MTY to be operated through Mine Developer and Operator (MDO) mode.
- ix. As part of the recent reforms, 24 (twenty four) closed/ discontinued mines have been awarded to successful bidders so far. Out these, 02 (two) mines belong to the State of Maharashtra (ABIncline and Walni UG) and no mine belong to the State of Madhya Pradesh.

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