Mumbai, 4 September 2025 — The Ministry of Coal held a prestigious Star Rating Award Ceremony in Mumbai today to recognise outstanding coal and lignite mines across India for their exemplary achievements in safety, environmental sustainability, operational excellence, and community welfare. The ceremony was graced by Union Minister of Coal and Mines Shri G. Kishan Reddy, Union Minister of State for Coal and Mines Shri Satish Chandra Dubey, and Secretary of the Ministry of Coal Shri Vikram Dev Dutt, along with senior officials and industry representatives.
Honouring Mines for Excellence in Safety and Sustainability
The Star Rating initiative, instituted by the Ministry of Coal, evaluates mines on comprehensive parameters including mining operations, environmental protection, adoption of technology and best practices, economic performance, rehabilitation and resettlement, worker compliance, and safety standards. Mines are rated from Five Star to No Star across categories such as Underground, Opencast, and Mixed.
For the assessment year 2023–24, 383 mines participated, with 42 mines securing the coveted Five Star rating. Awards were given to top performers, alongside certificates for high-achieving mines. The recognition serves as a benchmark for responsible mining practices and fosters continuous improvement across the sector.
Launching Innovation and Sustainability Frameworks
The event also featured the inauguration of the newly redesigned Coal Controller Organisation (CCO) website and its Interactive Dashboard to enhance transparency, efficiency, and accessibility for stakeholders. The Ministry presented awards to winners of the Hackathon on Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS), affirming its encouragement of innovation in sustainable technologies.
Two key frameworks were unveiled: the L.I.V.E.S guide—a comprehensive practitioner manual for responsible mine closures aligned with global best practices—and ARTHA, a Green Financing Framework intended to channel investments towards repurposing reclaimed mines into productive and eco-friendly assets.
Vision for Future Growth and Community Development
In his keynote, Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy highlighted the critical role of coal mining in India’s energy security and socio-economic development. He advocated for accelerated adoption of clean coal technologies, enhanced coal gasification efforts, and building capacities for coal exports to reduce import dependency. Shri Reddy emphasized community welfare, large-scale afforestation, worker safety, and embedding sustainability and competitiveness within mining operations as central themes.
Minister of State Satish Chandra Dubey stressed that responsible mining must equally prioritize environmental protection, scientific mine closure, and the welfare of project-affected communities. He encouraged widespread replication of best practices nationwide to ensure the benefits of safety, efficiency, and environmental care reach all regions.
Secretary Vikram Dev Dutt lauded the award-winning mines for setting new benchmarks in transparency and performance, noting India’s historic achievement of over one billion tonnes coal production in the previous year. He called for the coal industry to continue elevating standards to build a self-reliant and developed India.
Celebrating Inclusivity and Talent
Adding to the ceremony’s significance was a heartfelt cultural performance by specially-abled children, showcasing their talent and creativity, and highlighting the event’s emphasis on inclusivity and societal harmony.
For more real-time updates, visit Channel 6 Network.
Source: PIB
