New Delhi, March 17 The Centre on Tuesday said that a high-level consultation with key stakeholders on increasing domestic coal output was held amid escalating tensions in West Asia, which threatened global energy supplies.
Senior government officials and major players in the coal sector discussed strategies to increase domestic coal production, accelerate mine development and operations, and strengthen India's energy security, according to a statement.
Addressing the gathering, Union Minister of Coal and Mines, G Kishan Reddy, emphasized that India must go beyond incremental reforms to achieve the vision of "Aatmanirbhar Bharat" (Self-Reliant India).
He stressed the need for continuous and comprehensive reforms across the entire coal value chain, including exploration, auctions, clearances, operations, and financing, with a special focus on scientific mine closure. He emphasized that bottlenecks must be systematically removed to enhance production, improve supply efficiency, and ensure seamless functioning from mine development to closure.
He highlighted the need to promote coal gasification, leveraging India's abundant coal reserves, and noted that private sector participation in coal production is expected to increase significantly in the coming years.