Hyderabad: The Consultative Committee meetings of Members of Parliament attached to the Ministry of Coal and Ministry of Mines were held on Thursday under the chairmanship of Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy. Minister of State for Coal and Mines Satish Chandra Dubey co-chaired the session.
Senior officials from both ministries gave detailed presentations on key policy priorities, progress achieved, and upcoming plans. The Coal Ministry highlighted environmental restoration and repurposing measures designed to promote tourism, support local industries, and build economic opportunities for communities impacted by mining.
The Ministry of Mines outlined its plans for scaling up mineral exploration nationwide, with inputs from the Geological Survey of India (GSI) and Mineral Exploration and Consultancy Limited (MECL).
Addressing the committee, Kishan Reddy said India’s coal sector had crossed a milestone of producing more than one billion tonnes of coal domestically, while balancing sustainability goals. He described mine closure as a moral and national responsibility to restore local ecosystems and provide livelihoods.
On mineral exploration, the minister emphasised that Atmanirbharta (self-reliance) in critical and strategic minerals would be vital to achieving Viksit Bharat 2047. He said exploration was being taken up in mission mode, using technologies like artificial intelligence, robotics, and advanced geophysical surveys, with private sector participation seen as crucial for meeting renewable energy demands.
Satish Chandra Dubey stressed inclusive development and community engagement as essential elements of sustainable mining and said coordination across ministries would be key to long-term success.
On the sidelines of the meeting, Coal India Ltd and Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) signed two MoUs with Heartfulness under the Ministry’s reclaim initiative. The signing took place at Kanha Shanti Vanam near Hyderabad in the presence of Rev. Daaji of the Ram Chandra Mission. Kishan Reddy and Dubey attended the event along with senior officials and representatives of the partnering organisations.
Creating sustainable ecosystem at the mine closure sites!
In alignment with the Hon’ble PM Shri @narendramodi‘s vision for scientific and sustainable mine closures, MoUs have been signed between the Heartfulness Institute and both @CoalIndiaHQ and Singareni Collieries Company… pic.twitter.com/NpSbRkGoXU
— G Kishan Reddy (@kishanreddybjp) July 3, 2025
