In a first, 21 mines with underground coal gasification potential up for grabs

The 21 mines having the potential of underground coal gasification has been launched as part of the 14th round of commercial coal mine auctions

The Central government on October 29 announced the auction of 21 coal mines with the potential to harness underground gasification of the fossil fuel - a first for the country.

The 21 mines having the potential of underground coal gasification has been launched as part of the 14th round of commercial coal mine auctions. On September 18, Moneycontrol was the first to report that the government is planning to introduce Underground Coal Gasification (UCG) in its next round of commercial coal mine auctions.

"One of the most significant features of this tranche of auctions is the focus on Underground Coal Gasification (UCG), which is an innovative technology being promoted for the first time in the auction process. Nearly 40 percent of India’s coal reserves lie deep underground, beyond the reach of conventional mining methods. UCG will help tap such mines without the need to even mine out the coal," said Union Minister of Coal and Mines, G. Kishan Reddy.

Under the 14th Round, a total of 41 coal mines have been offered, of which 21 mines possess UCG potential, opening new avenues for the underground gasification of deep-seated coal reserves. Of these 41 mines, 20 are fully explored and 21 are partially explored, offering a balanced mix of opportunities for investors and developers. The round includes five mines under the Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Act, 2015 (CMSP) and 36 under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (MMDR).

The Union minister further said the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has exempted pilot UCG projects from environmental clearance, ensuring faster implementation.

Reddy also launched two digital platforms - the Koyla Shakti Dashboard and the Coal Land Acquisition, Management, and Payment (CLAMP) Portal on October 29.

The Koyla Shakti Dashboard is a digital platform that integrates the entire coal value chain from mine to market on a unified interface. The platform facilitates real-time coordination among coal companies, railways, ports, and end users such as power plants, thereby enhancing operational efficiency and ensuring seamless coal logistics.

The CLAMP Portal is a unified digital solution aimed at streamlining land acquisition, compensation, and rehabilitation and resettlement (R&R) processes in the coal sector. "Serving as a centralized repository of land records, the portal ensures data integration, enhances accountability, and minimizes procedural delays. By digitizing the complete workflow from uploading land details to payment of compensation, CLAMP portal enhances transparency, efficiency, and inter-agency coordination in land management practices across coal PSUs," said coal secretary Vikram Dev Dutt.