Lok Sabha Question No. 5364 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-25
Subject: Commercial Coal Mining
Ministry: COAL
Asked by: Dr. Bhola Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COAL

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.5364

ANSWERED ON 25.03.2026

## COMMERCIAL COAL MINING

## 5364. DR. BHOLA SINGH:

Will the Minister of COAL be pleased to state:

- (a)  the  details  of  number  of  coal  blocks  allocated  under  the  Commercial  Coal  Mining Policy and the number of such blocks that have commenced production so far;
- (b) the penalties imposed for delays in achieving production milestones by the allottees;
- (c) the measures taken by the Government to achieve the national coal production target of 1.31 billion tonnes for the Financial Year 2026-27; and
- (d) the steps taken by the Government to reduce dependence on imported coal and strengthen domestic supply to the power and industrial sectors?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR COAL AND MINES (SHRI SATISH CHANDRA DUBEY)

- (a)  Total 131 blocks have been successfully allocated under Commercial Coal Mining Policy. The state wise number of allocated coal blocks is as follows:

| State              | Number of Mines   |
|--------------------|-------------------|
| Jharkhand          | 35                |
| Madhya Pradesh     | 30                |
| Odisha             | 25                |
| Chattisgarh        | 23                |
| Maharashtra        | 11                |
| West Bengal        | 3                 |
| Assam              | 2                 |
| Arunachal Pradesh2 |                   |
| Total              | 131               |

Out of the 131 allocated coal blocks, as on February, 2026, 21 blocks have obtained Mine Opening Permission, of which 12 coal blocks have commenced production.

(b) In respect of commercial coal mines allocated under the Commercial Coal Mining Policy, no penalty has been imposed on any allottee for delays in achieving production milestones to date. This is due to the fact that no shortfall from the target production, as specified in the respective approved mining plans, has been observed.

(c) & (d) To accelerate mine operationalisation, several key reforms have been introduced by Ministry, including Single Window clearance system, integration of Consent to Establish with Environment Clearance, removal of procedural bottlenecks in Geological Report approvals, and delegation of Mine Opening Permission to company boards. Further, 44 accredited private agencies have been permitted for exploration activities, and coking coal has been classified as a critical mineral to fast-track clearances.

A structured framework under the Coal Mine Development and Production Agreement (CMDPA) ensures time-bound development through defined milestones, performance security mechanisms, and incentives such as 50% rebate on early production, supported by continuous monitoring through a Project Monitoring Unit (PMU) and regular stakeholder reviews.

To further augment production, Coal India Limited (CIL) is expanding existing mines, undertaking new projects, and adopting modern mining technologies such as Mass Production Technologies (MPT), including Continuous Miners and Highwall mining.

As a result of these measures, coal production has crossed a historic milestone of 1 Billion  Tonne,  reaching  1047.38  MT  in  FY  2024-25,  reflecting  the  impact  of  sustained reforms.  Further, coal imports have declined by approximately 8%, from 264.53 MT in 202324  to  243.63  MT  in  2024-25.  Additionally,  domestic  coal  availability  is  being  enhanced through revised SHAKTI Policy (2025) for power sector linkages, coking coal linkages for steel, and broader access via SWMA auctions and Fuel Supply Agreements, thereby reducing reliance on imported coal and strengthening domestic supply.

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