BCCL Restarts Coal Mine Under MDO Model to Boost Self-Reliance

10 Jul 2025 CW Team

From Abandonment to Opportunity: BCCL Revives Legacy Coal Mine

A Strategic Leap Towards Self-Reliance in Coking Coal Production

Date: 08 July 2025 | Location: PIB Delhi

In a significant step towards realising the vision of a self-reliant India (Atmanirbhar Bharat) championed by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL) has recommenced operations at its long-dormant PB Project using the Mine Developer and Operator (MDO) model. This development marks a landmark moment for both BCCL and the wider Coal India Limited (CIL) ecosystem, establishing PB as the first operational MDO mine within the CIL group.

Awarded to Eagle Infra India Limited for a tenure of 25 years, the PB Project is set to deliver 52 million tonnes of coal—primarily coking coal—over its lifetime, with a peak rated capacity of 2.7 million tonnes per year. This is a crucial resource for India’s steel and infrastructure industries.

This public-private partnership underlines India’s determination to strengthen domestic energy capacity by:

1. Reviving underutilised coal assets through private expertise

2. Reducing dependency on imports by increasing indigenous coking coal production

3. Adopting advanced mining technologies and international best practices

4. Promoting local employment and regional economic upliftment

5. Ensuring transparency, sustainability, and efficiency in resource use

BCCL will receive six per cent of gross revenue through a revenue-sharing model, setting a benchmark for fair and transparent mining collaborations.

This revival initiative is being steered under the leadership of Union Minister of Coal and Mines, Shri G. Kishan Reddy, and Minister of State for Coal and Mines, Shri Satish Chander Dubey, with strategic direction from Shri Vikram Dev Dutt, Secretary, Ministry of Coal. The milestone represents a paradigm shift in how legacy assets are repositioned as catalysts of growth, propelling the nation towards sustainability and self-sufficiency.

Shri P.M. Prasad, Chairman of Coal India Limited, who attended the inauguration virtually, hailed the initiative as a “pioneering step” and highlighted its transformative impact. He remarked that restarting the PB Project signifies more than operational resumption—it’s about turning past constraints into future potential, empowering local communities, and advancing national goals.

The event also witnessed participation from key leaders of BCCL, including Chairman and Managing Director Shri Samiran Dutta, Director (HR) Shri Murli Krishna Ramaiah, Director (Technical) Operations Shri S.K. Singh, and Director (Technical) Project & Planning Shri Manoj Kumar Agarwal, alongside senior representatives from Eagle Infra Pvt. Ltd.

CMD Shri Samiran Dutta expressed heartfelt appreciation to the Ministry of Coal, Coal India Limited, and other stakeholders for their continued support. He reiterated BCCL’s unwavering commitment to national objectives such as Mission Coking Coal, reducing imports, and driving sustainable mining operations.

Release ID: 2143166

Prepared by: Shuhaib T

From Abandonment to Opportunity: BCCL Revives Legacy Coal MineA Strategic Leap Towards Self-Reliance in Coking Coal ProductionDate: 08 July 2025 | Location: PIB DelhiIn a significant step towards realising the vision of a self-reliant India (Atmanirbhar Bharat) championed by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL) has recommenced operations at its long-dormant PB Project using the Mine Developer and Operator (MDO) model. This development marks a landmark moment for both BCCL and the wider Coal India Limited (CIL) ecosystem, establishing PB as the first operational MDO mine within the CIL group.Awarded to Eagle Infra India Limited for a tenure of 25 years, the PB Project is set to deliver 52 million tonnes of coal—primarily coking coal—over its lifetime, with a peak rated capacity of 2.7 million tonnes per year. This is a crucial resource for India’s steel and infrastructure industries.This public-private partnership underlines India’s determination to strengthen domestic energy capacity by:1. Reviving underutilised coal assets through private expertise2. Reducing dependency on imports by increasing indigenous coking coal production3. Adopting advanced mining technologies and international best practices4. Promoting local employment and regional economic upliftment5. Ensuring transparency, sustainability, and efficiency in resource useBCCL will receive six per cent of gross revenue through a revenue-sharing model, setting a benchmark for fair and transparent mining collaborations.This revival initiative is being steered under the leadership of Union Minister of Coal and Mines, Shri G. Kishan Reddy, and Minister of State for Coal and Mines, Shri Satish Chander Dubey, with strategic direction from Shri Vikram Dev Dutt, Secretary, Ministry of Coal. The milestone represents a paradigm shift in how legacy assets are repositioned as catalysts of growth, propelling the nation towards sustainability and self-sufficiency.Shri P.M. Prasad, Chairman of Coal India Limited, who attended the inauguration virtually, hailed the initiative as a “pioneering step” and highlighted its transformative impact. He remarked that restarting the PB Project signifies more than operational resumption—it’s about turning past constraints into future potential, empowering local communities, and advancing national goals.The event also witnessed participation from key leaders of BCCL, including Chairman and Managing Director Shri Samiran Dutta, Director (HR) Shri Murli Krishna Ramaiah, Director (Technical) Operations Shri S.K. Singh, and Director (Technical) Project & Planning Shri Manoj Kumar Agarwal, alongside senior representatives from Eagle Infra Pvt. Ltd.CMD Shri Samiran Dutta expressed heartfelt appreciation to the Ministry of Coal, Coal India Limited, and other stakeholders for their continued support. He reiterated BCCL’s unwavering commitment to national objectives such as Mission Coking Coal, reducing imports, and driving sustainable mining operations.Release ID: 2143166Prepared by: Shuhaib T

Real Estate

02 Apr 2026

Indian real estate attracts USD 1.4 bn institutional investments in Q1 2026: Vestian

Institutional investments in India’s real estate sector touched USD 1.4 billion in Q1 2026, marking the highest first-quarter inflow since 2022, according to Vestian. While investments fell 62 per cent quarter-on-quarter due to an exceptionally high base in the previous quarter, they rose 74 per cent compared to the same period last year, reflecting sustained investor confidence despite rising geopolitical and macroeconomic challenges.Commercial real estate remained the key driver of investment activity during the quarter, accounting for 80 per cent of total inflows, sharply higher than 38 p..

Infrastructure Transport

02 Apr 2026

VECV crosses 1 lakh annual vehicle sales milestone in FY26

VE Commercial Vehicles (VECV), a joint venture between Volvo Group and Eicher Motors, has surpassed the 1 lakh annual sales mark in FY 2025–26, recording its highest-ever commercial vehicle sales performance. The company said it sold more than 100,000 vehicles during the year, marking a major milestone aligned with the original vision of the Volvo–Eicher joint venture.The strong performance was supported by demand across categories. Light and Medium Duty (LMD) trucks contributed 47,789 units, accounting for 46.1 per cent of total sales. Heavy Duty (HD) trucks recorded 26,867 units (25.9 pe..

Technology

02 Apr 2026

Rodic Digital & Advisory partners SatSure to deploy EO intelligence in public sector

Rodic Digital & Advisory (RDA), the strategic advisory and digital transformation arm of Rodic Consultants, has signed a strategic cooperation Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with SatSure to jointly pursue opportunities in India’s public sector. The collaboration aims to integrate high-resolution Earth Observation (EO) data and geospatial AI into government workflows to strengthen monitoring, compliance, and operational decision-making across key sectors.The partnership combines SatSure’s Earth intelligence capabilities with RDA’s expertise in government digital transformation and ..