New Delhi: The Central government notified coking coal as a Critical and Strategic Mineral under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, as part of mining sector reforms aligned with the Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision.
The decision followed recommendations of the High-Level Committee on Implementation of Viksit Bharat goals and policy inputs from NITI Aayog. The government said the move recognised the strategic importance of coking coal in ensuring mineral security and meeting domestic steel sector needs.
India has estimated coking coal resources of about 37.37 billion tonnes. Most reserves lie in Jharkhand, with additional deposits in Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, and Chhattisgarh. However, imports rose from 51.20 million tonnes in 2020–21 to 57.58 million tonnes in 2024–25. At present, imports meet nearly 95 per cent of the steel sector’s coking coal requirement.
To address this dependence, the Centre amended the First Schedule of the MMDR Act using powers under Section 11C. Accordingly, the term “Coal” in Part A now includes coking coal. The amendment also added “Coking Coal” to Part D, which lists Critical and Strategic Minerals.
Coking coal notification aims to boost domestic mining
The government said the coking coal notification would enable faster approvals and improve ease of doing business. It is expected to accelerate exploration and mining, including deep-seated deposits. Mining of critical minerals is exempt from public consultation requirements and allows the use of degraded forest land for compensatory afforestation.
Officials said these provisions would encourage private sector participation. The reform is expected to reduce imports, strengthen supply chains for the steel sector, and support the National Steel Policy. It may also promote investment in exploration, beneficiation, and advanced mining technologies.
The government clarified that royalty, auction premiums, and other statutory payments would continue to accrue to state governments. This would apply even when the Centre conducts mineral auctions, as per Section 11D(3) of the MMDR Act.
Officials said the coking coal notification marked a key step towards mineral security. They said it would help build a resilient and self-reliant industrial ecosystem in line with the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision.
