Union Minister of State for Coal and Mines Satish Chandra Dubey chaired a meeting in Ranchi to review the performance of the Central Mine Planning and Design Institute (CMPDIL). The meeting on May 14 was attended by Chaudhari Shivraj Singh, chair and managing director of CMPDIL, Nilendu Kumar Singh, chair and managing director of Central Coalfields Limited, and I D Narayan, chair and managing director of Mineral Exploration and Consultancy (MECL), together with technical directors and senior officers.

The ministry said the review covered exploration activities, report preparation, capital expenditure, research and development projects, corporate social responsibility and solar energy projects for 2025-26 and targets for 2026-27. Dubey commended the performance and emphasised a greater focus on clean coal technologies and strategic exploration of critical minerals to strengthen the country's long-term energy and economic security. He directed the organisation to simplify procurement procedures, enhance transparency and broaden market outreach to increase bidder participation and reduce project delays.

The minister highlighted transforming mine closure activities into sustainable livelihood opportunities for local communities through the cultivation of makhana and fisheries in reclaimed areas under the One District One Product initiative. In a key development, the Central Mine Planning and Design Institute Limited and Mineral Exploration and Consultancy Limited signed a memorandum of understanding to enhance cooperation in coal and mineral exploration for both energy and non-energy resources. The collaboration was described as intended to strengthen India's mineral security and to support the government's Atmanirbhar Bharat vision.

Officials signalled that the agreement will coordinate technical expertise, data sharing and joint field programmes to accelerate exploration efforts. CMPDIL had detailed its performance metrics and set targets for the coming year while outlining capital expenditure priorities and research projects. The initiative is expected to boost exploration activities and improve preparedness in meeting future energy and industrial mineral demand. The ministry requested periodic updates to ensure timely implementation.