Ministry of Coal hosts roadshow to assure proactive approach in facilitating seamless investment in coal sector
By TIOL News Service
NEW DELHI, MAR 01, 2025: THE Ministry of Coal, in its continued efforts to promote investment opportunities in the coal sector and commercial coal mine auctions, successfully conducted a high-impact roadshow today in Mumbai. The event was graced by Union Minister of Coal and Mines, G. Kishan Reddy, as the Chief Guest. Also present were, Vikram Dev Dutt, Secretary, Ministry of Coal, Ms. Rupinder Brar, Additional Secretary & Nominated Authority, Ministry of Coal, and senior officials from the Ministry of Coal. The event also witnessed the participation of key stakeholders, industry leaders, investors, and policy experts, who engaged in insightful discussions on the future of coal mining in India.
The roadshow served as a strategic platform to accelerate private sector participation, enhance domestic coal production, and promote sustainable mining practices. It focused on policy reforms, ease of doing business, and technological advancements, reaffirming the Government's commitment to unlocking the full potential of India's coal sector while ensuring environmental sustainability and long-term energy security.
In his keynote address, Union Minister of Coal and Mines, G. Kishan Reddy highlighted the crucial role of coal in India's economic progress, particularly in ensuring energy security and meeting growing industrial and power sector demands. He reiterated the Government's commitment, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to accelerate domestic coal production, reducing import dependence, and ensuring sustainable mining practices.
The Minister emphasized the remarkable growth in India's coal production, which has enabled industries and power plants to meet their energy needs efficiently. He underscored the Government's efforts to bridge the demand-supply gap and ensure uninterrupted coal availability for both captive and commercial consumers. Reddy reaffirmed that coal remains the backbone of India's energy landscape, contributing over 70% to electricity generation. He also outlined key reforms to attract private investment in commercial coal mining, enhance ease of doing business, and deploy advanced technologies such as automation and digital monitoring to optimize mining operations while minimizing environmental impact. Additionally, the minister highlighted the Government's large-scale afforestation initiatives on reclaimed land, leading to the development of eco-parks, green belts, and biodiversity zones. Further, he assured that as per Mine closure plan, post-mining landscapes are being restored for sustainable use, including agriculture, forestry, and mine tourism, benefiting local communities.
As India moves towards becoming the world's third-largest economy and strives for Viksit Bharat 2047, minister reaffirmed the Government's commitment to community welfare, prioritizing mine safety, rehabilitation, and skill development initiatives. Impressing upon sustainability, minister highlighted the importance of socio-economic upliftment of coal dependent communities and said that worker safety remains a priority urging coal companies to adopt best safety practices, and eco-friendly mining practices to ensure environmental conservation and long-term sectoral stability.
In his address, Vikram Dev Dutt, Secretary, Ministry of Coal, assured investors of the Ministry's proactive approach in facilitating seamless investment in the coal sector. He emphasized that the Ministry is committed to assisting investors at every stage from obtaining clearances to project execution by coordinating with regulatory bodies and stakeholder ministries to expedite approvals for early operationalization.
He further emphasized that the Ministry is ensuring a fast-tracked approval process, reducing bottlenecks, and improving transparency in the allocation of coal blocks. The Secretary reaffirmed the Ministry's focus on afforestation on Mined-out land biodiversity conservation, and responsible mine closure practices, ensuring mining activities align with India's sustainability goals. He also announced that the upcoming 12th round of auctions which is going to start very soon will include underground mines, offering additional financial incentives. Encouraging industry leaders and investors to actively participate in upcoming coal mine auctions, he assured them of full government support, including regulatory assistance, financial incentives, and streamlined processes to enhance business confidence. He reiterated that India's coal sector offers immense opportunities for investment, innovation, paving the way for a self-reliant and resilient energy future.
In her welcome address, Ms. Rupinder Brar, Additional Secretary & Nominated Authority, Ministry of Coal, underlined the strategic importance of private sector's participation in coal mining. She reaffirmed the Ministry's commitment to creating a transparent, competitive, and investor-friendly coal sector. She also highlighted key incentives available to investors and urged stakeholders to leverage policy reforms for long-term growth. She noted that since the commencement of commercial coal mining, coal demand has surged, and the Government has allowed its use beyond captive purposes, enabling mining companies to operate with greater flexibility and market coal as a commodity.
The roadshow featured detailed discussions on investment potential, regulatory reforms, sustainability measures, and coal gasification prospects. It provided a platform for direct engagement between policymakers and industry leaders, facilitating insightful deliberations on upcoming rounds of commercial coal mine auctions, Technological advancements, best practices in sustainable coal mining, policy support for ease of doing business and fast-tracking project approvals.
The roadshow included an engaging and interactive Q&A session, where investors actively engaged with officials, seeking clarity on policies, auction processes, and growth prospects in the coal sector. The queries of potential investors were addressed comprehensively, reinforcing confidence in the industry's transparent and investor-friendly approach.
The Mumbai roadshow was another significant milestone in the Ministry of Coal's mission to promote investment, enhance domestic production, and ensure a sustainable future for coal mining in India. The event reinforced the Government's commitment to strengthening investor confidence, fostering innovation, and advancing India's energy security goals in line with the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.
