
The Indian Government is making significant strides to increase domestic coal production and eliminate non-essential coal imports. The focus is on the development of coal blocks, with regular reviews being conducted by the Ministry of Coal. The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2021, has been enacted to enable captive mine owners to sell up to 50% of their annual mineral production in the open market. This is expected to boost coal production and supply in the country.
In addition, a Single Window Clearance portal has been launched for the coal sector to expedite the operationalization of coal mines. A Project Monitoring Unit has also been established to assist coal block allottees in obtaining various approvals and clearances for the early operationalization of coal mines. Commercial mining was launched on a revenue-sharing basis in 2020, providing incentives for early production and coal gasification or liquefaction.

Coal India Limited (CIL), a state-owned coal mining and refining company, has adopted several 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 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.
The Ministry of Coal has initiated steps to re-open closed/discontinued mines recognizing their latent potential, under a Revenue Sharing Model. This is expected to enhance domestic coal availability and efficient utilization of existing coal resources. The all India coal production in the year 2023-2024 was 997.826 MT in comparison to 716.083 MT in the year 2020- 2021 with a growth of about 39.35 %.
While coal production is increasing, there is also a growing emphasis on renewable energy sources. Renewable power is not only cost-competitive; it's also the most cost-effective source of energy in many situations, depending on the location and season. This shift towards renewable energy is part of the global effort to achieve the U.S. climate goal of 100% carbon-pollution-free electricity by 2035.
In addition to the primary source information, additional relevant news information indicates that Coal India Limited (CIL) has planned to develop 36 new coal projects in the next 5 years. The Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) has planned to open 7 new coal mines in the next 5 years. NLC India Limited (NLCIL) has planned to open 2 new coal mines. The coal ministry has allocated a total of 175 coal blocks. Of these, 65 coal blocks have received mine opening permissions of which 54 are presently operational. These coal blocks are located across different states and regions of India.