Lok Sabha Question No. 1947 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-11
Subject: Displacement due to Coal Mining Projects
Ministry: COAL
Asked by: Smt. Geniben Nagaji Thakor

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COAL

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1947 ANSWERED ON 11/02/2026

## DISPLACEMENT DUE TO COAL MINING PROJECTS

## 1947. SMT. GENIBEN NAGAJI THAKOR:

Will the Minster of COAL be pleased to state:

- (a) whether coal mining projects have led to displacement of the local population in various States;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the steps taken by the Government for the rehabilitation and compensation of the affected persons; and
- (d) the measures taken by the Government to ensure environmentally sustainable coal mining?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF COAL AND MINES (SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY)

- (a) & (b):  The details of displacement of project affected families (PAFs) due to coal mining projects of subsidiaries of Coal India Limited (CIL) in various States during the last five years are as under: -

| Name of Subsidiary   | Name of state   | Number of PAFs affected State-wise   | Number of PAFs affected State-wise   | Number of PAFs affected State-wise   | Number of PAFs affected State-wise   | Number of PAFs affected State-wise   |
|----------------------|-----------------|--------------------------------------|--------------------------------------|--------------------------------------|--------------------------------------|--------------------------------------|
| Name of Subsidiary   | Name of state   | 2020-21                              | 2021-22                              | 2022-23                              | 2023-24                              | 2024-25                              |
| NCL                  | MP              | 87                                   | 338                                  | 439                                  | 432                                  | 318                                  |
| NCL                  | UP              | 00                                   | 00                                   | 00                                   | 00                                   | 00                                   |
| CCL                  | Jharkhand       | 105                                  | 206                                  | 443                                  | 634                                  | 453                                  |
| ECL                  | WB              | 275                                  | 548                                  | 686                                  | 556                                  | 574                                  |
| ECL                  | Jharkhand       | 00                                   | 60                                   | 36                                   | 24                                   | 149                                  |
| BCCL                 | WB              | 00                                   | 00                                   | 00                                   | 00                                   | 00                                   |
| BCCL                 | Jharkhand       | 00                                   | 00                                   | 40                                   | 59                                   | 44                                   |
| MCL                  | Odisha          | 592                                  | 650                                  | 219                                  | 283                                  | 359                                  |
| WCL                  | Maharashtra     | 445                                  | 203                                  | 222                                  | 40                                   | 473                                  |

|                      | MP                   | 00             |   00 |   00 |   00 |   00 |
|----------------------|----------------------|----------------|------|------|------|------|
| SECL                 | Chhattisgarh89       | Chhattisgarh89 |  209 |  355 |  504 |  762 |
| SECL                 | MP                   | 13             |  134 |  215 |  191 |  256 |
| CILGrand Total-12720 | CILGrand Total-12720 | 1606           | 2348 | 2655 | 2723 | 3388 |

Lignite/coal mining projects of NLC India Limited (NLCIL) have led to displacement of the land owners/ encroachers whose houses were acquired. The lands required for the NLCIL's mines at Neyveli are acquired in a phased manner by the Government of Tamil Nadu under the LA Act 'Tamil Nadu Acquisition of Land for Industrial Purposes Act 1997' (TN Act 10/1999) with the compensation and R&R policy as per the provisions of Schedule-I, II & III of RFCTLARR Act from 01.01.2014 onwards. For Barsingsar Lignite Mine of NLCIL, land was acquired in 1991, as per Land Acquisition Act, 1894. For coal mining projects like Talabira II & III OCP in Odisha, land is acquired under the Coal Bearing Areas (Acquisition and Development) Act, 1957 (CBA Act, 1957).

In Telangana, as on date, 22 villages are displaced due to SCCL mining projects and 10,578 PDFs are rehabilitated.

(c): In pursuance of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Removal of Difficulties) Order 2015, land & asset compensation benefits are provided as per Schedule I and Rehabilitation & Resettlement benefits are provided to the displaced families as per Schedule II of RFCTLARR Act, 2013 respectively.

The subsidiaries of CIL follow its Resttlement and Rehabilitation (R&R) Policy, 2012 and also follow its Annuity scheme, 2020. Additionally, subsidiaries of CIL provide R&R benefits over and above  existing  norms  based  on  the  local  conditions.  In  addition  to  this,  any  State-specific guidelines regarding procedures and benefits to be extended to project affected families in case of compulsory acquisition is also followed.

NLCIL follows state-specific/ project specific R&R policies for the rehabilitation and resettlement of displaced families.

In Telangana, SCCL acquires lands for mining projects, and compensation and rehabilitation has been paid to the affected persons as per RFCTLARR Act, 2013 under administrative control of concerned District Collector.

(d):      Standardized environmental safeguards are provided under the Environment (Protection) Act,  1986. All  new  and  expansion  coal  mining  projects  are  undertaken  after  obtaining  prior Environmental  Clearance  based  on  a  detailed  Environmental  Impact Assessment,  along  with implementation of approved Environmental Management Plans prescribing mitigation measures for protection of air, water, land and ecological resources.

Coal Mine/Block Development and Production Agreement (CMDPA/CBDPA) executed between the  Nominated Authority  (under  Ministry  of  Coal)  and  a  successful  bidder  provides  that  the successful bidder is required to adopt modern mechanised methods for coal extraction, handling and evacuation, minimising carbon footprint and reducing environmental pollution, implement mechanised  loading  and develop  First-Mile  Connectivity  from  the  pit-head  to  further  curb environmental pollution, in line with Good Industry Practices.

Diversion  of  forest  land  for  coal  mining  is  regulated  under  the  provisions  of  the  Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 and the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 2023, which mandate  prior  approval  of  the  Central  Government  and  compliance  with  compensatory afforestation, payment of Net Present Value and other statutory conditions.

Coal mines operate in accordance with scientific mine planning and phased mining principles, with emphasis on concurrent reclamation of mined-out areas, backfilling of mine voids and ecological restoration,  as  per  approved  Mine  Closure  Plans. Coal/  lignite  PSUs  have  undertaken  various measures to promote sustainability which include bio-reclamation/ plantation, gainful utilization of overburden and energy efficiency measures.

Regulatory oversight is strengthened through statutory monitoring by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and the State Pollution Control Boards. Coal mines are required to comply with prescribed environmental norms, submit periodic compliance reports and facilitate inspections, audits and third-party assessments as mandated under applicable environmental laws.

Further, the Government has notified the Environment Audit Rules, 2025 under the Environment (Protection)  Act,  1986,  to  strengthen  the  environmental  compliance  framework  for  projects operating under various environmental laws, including coal mining projects.

*****