Question : Production from Discontinued Mines

(a) whether the Government has announced that 100 shut or production discontinued mines of Coal India will be operated in partnership with private companies;
(b) if so, whether a consultation meeting with private sector has been held in this regard and if so, the details of participants;
(c) the terms of revenue-sharing envisioned for such partnership;
(d) the reasons for shutting or discontinuing production in these 100 mines;
(e) whether such a step is counter-productive to the 7 February, 2022 statement of the Government with respect to eco-friendly use of abandoned coal mines;
(f) the impact of the decision to use de-coaled areas for extensive plantation, development of eco/mine tourism parks, agricultural ?elds, orchards, creating water bodies to augment ground water recharge and drinking water supply, etc.; and
(g) the e?ects of reopening of 100 mines on India’s coal phase down pledges made in COP26?

MINISTER OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS, COAL AND MINES (SHRI PRALHAD JOSHI)

(a) : Government has tentatively identi?ed as of now 13 discontinued mines of Coal India Limited to be operated in partnership with private companies.

(b) : Consultations with stakeholders of private sector for preparation of model document for tendering of these discontinued mines was held on 24.02.2022 at New Delhi and on 11.03.2022 at CMPDI (HQ), Ranchi. The following participants have attended the meeting:-

1. M/s Adani Enterprises
2. M/s Shyam Steel, Kolkata
3. M/s Birla Corporation
4. M/s Odisha Coal and Power Limited
5. M/s JSPL
6. M/s GSECL, Vadodra
7. M/s NALCO
8. M/s JMS Mining Pvt. Ltd.
9. M/s SMS Limited
10. M/s Maheshwari Mining Pvt. Ltd.
11. M/s WBPDCL, Kolkata
12. M/s Eimeco Elecon Limted
13. M/s Tata Steel
14. M/s EMIL, Kolkata
15. M/s BLA Power
16. M/s BGR Mining Infra Limited
17. M/s OMC Limited, Bhubhaneshwar
18. M/s AEL
19. M/s UPRVUNL
20. M/s NTPC Ltd.
21. M/s RCCPL Pvt. Ltd.
22. M/s THDC India Limited
23. M/s Technoblast Mining Corporation
24. M/s BS Ispat Ltd.
25. M/s SCCL
26. M/s Hindalco
27. M/s South West Pinnacle Explosive Ltd.
28. M/s Jaypee Group
29. M/s Sainik Mining & Allied Services Ltd.
30. M/s Sandvik India
31. M/s Vedanta
32. M/s Dalmia Cement Bharat Ltd.

(c) : Model tender document is under preparation.

(d) : The reasons for shutting or discontinuing production was as follows:-

1. Viability issues / unprofitable operation of mines
2. Difficult geo-mining conditions
3. Lack of suitable technology to extract deeper resources, etc. (e): No, Sir.
(f) : After extraction of coal from these mines, de-coaled areas of these mines will also be used for extensive plantation, development of eco/mine tourism parks, agricultural ?elds, orchards, creating water bodies to augment ground water recharge and drinking water supply, etc.

(g) : The above decision to operate some discontinued mines in partnership with private companies, has been taken to meet the high demand of coal. It is not likely to a?ect India’s coal phase down pledges made in COP26.

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