Mumbai, July 28 -- The government has recast mine closure as the start of opportunities for communities and sustainable development, making scientific closure a national priority linked to the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision. The Ministry of Coal and Mines reported that it has scientifically closed 42 coal mines, including 33 in the past year, and set a target to close 147 more mines over the next two to three years. The approach frames closure as ecological restoration and socio-economic renewal.
Officials said the ministry has built a comprehensive ecosystem for closure through the RECLAIM Framework, the SUVIKALP digital platform and the ARTHA Framework, supported by District Collector-led Mine Closure Advisory Committees. The Mine Closure Guidelines, 2025 place people and sustainability at the heart of processes and require planning for livelihood restoration, afforestation and water conservation on reclaimed land.
For the first time, 25 per cent of approved mine closure cost has been earmarked for community development, generating an investment potential of nearly Rs 100 bn over the next decade. The ministry has also created a dedicated corpus of over $5 billion (approximately Rs 400 bn) for scientific and progressive closure, intended to fund long-term ecological restoration and community infrastructure.
Reclaimed mine land is being repurposed for renewable energy, eco-tourism, water conservation, agriculture, community infrastructure and sustainable livelihoods, and the ministry is promoting multi-sectoral projects to support local income streams. Officials indicated that these initiatives will prioritise local participation, skills development and partnerships with non-governmental organisations and industry to ensure benefits reach affected populations.
Referring to global practice, the ministry has signed an implementation agreement with Germany's development agency to combine international expertise with domestic scale and policy leadership to craft an Indian model of mine closure that integrates environmental protection, technological innovation and economic opportunity. Ministers described the measures as demonstrating a long-term commitment to environmentally responsible mining and the socio-economic revival of mining-affected regions.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Construction World.