New Delhi, Feb 26: A National Workshop on “Moving Beyond Extraction: Mine Closure & Repurposing” was jointly organised by the Ministry of Coal and NLC India Limited on February 23–24, 2026, at Lignite Hall, Neyveli.
The event marked India’s first national-level workshop exclusively focused on mine closure and repurposing, drawing around 560 delegates from central and state governments, coal PSUs, regulators, academia, financial institutions and development organisations.
The workshop was inaugurated by Union Minister of Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy in the presence of senior officials including Coal Secretary Vikram Dev Dutt and other dignitaries. Leadership from major coal companies such as Coal India Limited and NLCIL also participated.
In his keynote address, the Minister stressed that mine closure must go beyond regulatory compliance and evolve into a community-centric development opportunity.
He called for scientific environmental restoration, sustainable post-mining land use, effective utilisation of District Mineral Foundation (DMF) funds, livelihood generation, transparent monitoring, and proper repurposing of the 147 mines identified for final closure out of 575 coal mines nationwide.
A technical exhibition showcased NLCIL’s sustainable mining practices and green cover initiatives, earning appreciation from the Minister.
Thematic presentations outlined structured frameworks such as RECLAIM, L.I.V.E.S, ARTHA and SUVIKALP to transform mine closure into a socio-economic transition strategy impacting over five million people dependent on coal ecosystems.
