The Consultative Committee of Members of Parliament attached to the Ministry of Coal met on August 5, 2026, to discuss 'Commercial Coal Mining Reforms and Leveraging Private Sector Participation'. The meeting was chaired by Union Minister of Coal and Mines Shri G Kishan Reddy and attended by Secretary Ministry of Coal Shri Vikram Dev Dutt, senior officials, and coal PSU representatives.
Union Minister Reddy emphasized that commercial coal mining represents one of the significant reforms introduced under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership over the past 12 years. He reported that 14 rounds of commercial coal mine auctions have been completed, with the 15th round currently in process. The transparent auction process has transformed India's coal sector by promoting competition and investment, making the sector more competitive and efficient. The Ministry is actively engaging with industry bodies and private companies through roadshows and stakeholder consultations to ensure greater awareness and wider participation.
Secretary Vikram Dev Dutt highlighted that captive and commercial mines have played a crucial role in achieving 1 billion tonne coal production in the last two financial years. These mines contributed approximately 20% of the country's coal production in the last financial year. Continuous reforms in the coal sector have significantly reduced operationalization timelines: for fully explored blocks, timelines have decreased from 51 months to 40 months, and for partially explored blocks, from 66 months to 52 months.
Additional Secretary Smt Rupinder Brar delivered a presentation on commercial coal mining reforms and leveraging private sector participation. Committee members appreciated the Ministry's reform efforts and offered valuable suggestions for further improving private sector participation while balancing commercial mining growth with environmental and community concerns.