Numerous incentives likely to be available for underground coal mining

03 May 2023 CW Team

The government is contemplating a number of options, including exempting fuel produced from underground mines from the notified price regime, in an effort to boost environmentally friendly underground coal mining, which still produces less than 5% of the nation's total coal output.

With land provided on a long-term lease and financial incentives, private operators are also encouraged to reopen Coal India's abandoned coal mines under the condition that they use underground mining technologies.

To give investors a larger return, the whole underground coal production will be placed up for auction.

CIL has placed a few of its abandoned coal mines on a revenue-share scheme. As the land is there and the mine is partially developed, the developer does not have to incur initial capex on them. With significant capital and time savings, the miners may begin production.

The government wants to lower the amount of opencast mining, which is currently over 90%, as these need a lot of land and the clearing of forests and have a greater environmental impact due to the better quality of coal they produce.

Also read:
NLCIL mines get five-star rating of Coal Ministry
Rs 129.41 bn revenue earned by Chhattisgarh in minerals in 2022-23

Equipment

12 Dec 2025

Schwing Stetter India Unveils New Innovations at Excon 2025

Schwing Stetter India unveiled more than 20 new machines at Excon 2025, marking one of its most significant showcases and introducing several India-first technologies to the construction equipment sector. The company launched the country’s first 56-metre boom pump designed and manufactured in India, the first fully electric truck mixer, the first CNG mixer variant and the first hybrid boom pump. Executives said the launch portfolio was engineered to support India’s move toward faster, greener and more vertically oriented infrastructure through advanced engineering, clean-energy solutions a..

SEPC Resolves Hindustan Copper Dispute, Wins Rs 725 Mn Order

Engineering, procurement and construction firm SEPC Ltd has recently settled a dispute with Hindustan Copper Ltd (HCL) and secured a mining infrastructure order valued at Rs 725 million from the state-owned company. SEPC informed the stock exchanges that it has executed a settlement deed with HCL, bringing closure to all inter-se claims and counterclaims arising from arbitration proceedings. As part of the settlement, SEPC will receive Rs 304.5 million as full and final payment, marking the resolution of all pending disputes between the two entities. The company also stated that Hindustan Co..

20% Ethanol Blending Cuts India’s CO2 Emissions by 73.6 Mn Tonnes

Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari recently said that India has reduced carbon dioxide emissions by 73.6 million metric tonnes due to the adoption of 20 per cent ethanol blending in petrol. He made the statement while replying to supplementary questions during the Question Hour in the Lok Sabha. Describing ethanol as a green fuel, the minister said it plays a key role in reducing pollution while also supporting higher incomes for farmers. He underlined that ethanol blending contributes both to environmental sustainability and rural economic growth. Nitin Gadkari also po..