GS Prelims- Environment/Economy
Context
The Ministry of Coal released AAROH: Annual Report on Mine Closure (22 July 2026), highlighting scientific mine closure, ecological restoration, sustainable post-mining land use, GIZ cooperation, Coal NEER plants, and Jharia rehabilitation MoUs
Key Highlights
- AAROH: Developed by the Coal Controller Organisation; documents 42 scientifically closed coal mines, including 33 closed in the last year.
- Target: Scientific closure of 147 additional mines over the next 2–3 years.
- Frameworks: Covers RECLAIM, L.I.V.E.S., SUVIKALP, SUVIKALP Samvaad, and A.R.T.H.A. frameworks.
- Institutional Mechanism: District Collector-led Mine Closure Advisory Committees and Mine Closure Guidelines, 2025 promote people-centric mine closure.
- Community Development: 25% of mine closure cost earmarked, unlocking nearly ₹10,000 crore over the next decade.
- Mine Closure Fund: Dedicated corpus of USD 5+ billion (~₹40,000 crore) for scientific and progressive mine closure.
- Land Repurposing: Reclaimed mines reused for renewable energy, eco-tourism, water conservation, and agriculture (e.g., West Bokaro, Bishrampur, Viveknagar Solar Project).
India-Germany Cooperation (GIZ Agreement)
- Implementation Agreement signed between Ministry of Coal and Germany’s GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit) on ‘To-be closed mines’.
- Commissioned by Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ); co-financed by the European Union.
- Total project volume: EUR 10 million, to run until 2030 under the Indo-German Green and Sustainable Development Partnership.
- Reaffirms cooperation priorities set at the 16th India–EU Summit.
Coal NEER Plants
- Inaugurated at Coal India Limited subsidiaries: Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL), Central Coalfields Limited (CCL), Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL), South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL).
- Converts mine discharge into safe bottled drinking water via RO, UV, and CDI technologies, aligned with the ‘Waste to Wealth’ vision.
- Coal PSUs supply nearly 300 lakh kilolitres of treated mine water annually, benefiting around 3 lakh people, including Chennai’s water supply.
Jharia Rehabilitation MoUs
- Tripartite MoUs signed by Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL) and Jharia Rehabilitation and Development Authority (JRDA) with Hindalco Industries Limited and Rajdhani Universal Fabrics Private Limited.
- Establishes an Industry-Linked Skill Centre and an integrated technical textile manufacturing ecosystem under the Revised Jharia Master Plan.
The Coal Controller Organisation (CCO) is the Ministry of Coal’s technical body for coal grading, conservation, and development of mine-closure frameworks/tools like SUVIKALP, while the Mine Closure Guidelines, 2025 mandate scientific reclamation, community development, and District Collector-led oversight.
Together, AAROH, GIZ cooperation, and the Mine Closure Guidelines, 2025 shift mine closure from a regulatory exercise to ecological restoration and community-led post-mining development, aligned with Viksit Bharat 2047.
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