Mumbai, July 10 -- The Coal Ministry has moved to adopt a Zero Leakage Plan aimed at eliminating illegal mining and associated losses across the sector. The plan, announced in a formal release, seeks to establish comprehensive controls on extraction, transportation and sale of coal to protect state and corporate assets. It will establish clearer chain of custody protocols and standardise documentation to reduce opportunities for diversion and theft. The ministry framed the initiative as a systemic response to long standing leakages.
The strategy emphasises enhanced monitoring and verification at mine sites and along supply chains. Central components include strengthened record keeping, digital tracking of consignments and tighter coordination between central agencies, state authorities and mine operators. The ministry said it will prescribe uniform processes for weighment, billing and dispatch and will require periodic reconciliations to spot discrepancies early. This is intended to create transparent audit trails from pit head to delivery.
Enforcement measures form a key pillar of the plan and will focus on improving detection and prosecution of offences. The ministry indicated that sanctions will be applied where irregularities are confirmed and that administrative and criminal remedies will be used as appropriate. It will also promote capacity building for field officers and equip them with access to updated data systems to support inspections. The ministry envisaged that tighter controls will raise recovery of lost revenue.
Implementation will be overseen through a central review mechanism with timelines for rollout and periodic progress reports to be reviewed at senior levels. The ministry called for cooperation from state governments, mine owners and logistics providers to ensure effective application of the new measures. It proposed that success will be measured through reductions in discrepancies identified in reconciliations and through improved full transparency in coal flows. The move also signals a sustained push to secure public resources.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Construction World.