Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka inspected the Jalagam Vengala Rao opencast coal mine at Sathupalli in Khammam district and asked Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) and the Telangana State Power Generation Corporation Limited (TG GENCO) to jointly prepare a long-term action plan. He requested an assessment of coal requirements for the next decade and directed the two entities to develop a coordinated strategy to secure supplies and ensure operational continuity. The visit was intended to review field operations and planning.

He reviewed coal reserves, production processes and coal quality with senior officials and emphasised that the state government’s foremost objective is to maintain SCCL as a strong, efficiently managed and future-ready public sector enterprise. He noted that the full cycle from acquiring a coal block through auction to completing land acquisition, obtaining forest clearances and commencing mining operations can take at least seven to eight years. Consequently he asked for plans with a minimum 10-year strategic vision.

He underlined the need to reduce production costs and improve coal quality to remain competitive against private companies and said that transporting inferior-quality coal increases transportation costs and reduces efficiency at thermal power plants, contributing to plant tripping. Officials were instructed to supply high-quality and uncontaminated coal to TG GENCO and other customers to minimise operational disruptions. The emphasis was on enhancing product standards and logistics.

He observed that Singareni had missed several opportunities by not participating in auctions over the past decade and welcomed steps taken by the government to resolve pending issues relating to land acquisition and forest clearances for identified coal blocks. The government pledged support for future participation in auctions and urged the company to leverage its mining expertise and technical workforce to explore critical and rare earth minerals needed for semiconductor and chip manufacturing. He also encouraged rapid expansion into solar power and other low-carbon technologies.