Page 3 - Saket Kumar

Coal India, DVC form ₹21,000 cr JV for thermal power project in Jharkhand

Coal India and Damodar Valley Corporation have signed a joint venture to set up a Rs 21,000-crore, 1,600 MW thermal power plant at Chandrapura in Jharkhand, expected to start operations by FY32

Coal India fast-tracks solar expansion, aims for 3 GW capacity by 2029

Coal India is accelerating its renewable energy plans and expects to reach 3,000 MW of solar capacity by 2029, with tenders for 875 MW Rajasthan projects to be finalised soon

Viability gaps threaten to trip India's race to secure critical minerals

While the auction of mines has attracted aggressive bidding - with many willing to pay high premiums - how many of those will actually be commercially viable remains to be seen

Govt eases entry for MSMEs in third round of specialty steel PLI scheme

Base year revised, thresholds relaxed to reflect current market trends

Low steel prices put ₹9 trillion expansion plan at risk: Steel secy

India's steel sector faces stress as five-year low prices force 150 small producers to close, threatening Rs 9-lakh-crore expansion plans despite strong demand and green steel prospects

Untapped mines could save India $100 bn in imports annually: CSEP study

Policy hurdles, high royalties and red tape keeping global explorers away, warns report

PMO nudges CIL to invest in critical minerals in Australia: Outgoing CMD

Coal India's outgoing CMD says PMO has asked the miner to invest in Australian critical minerals, terming diversification beyond coal a potential game changer for the PSU

Industry body urges 15% duty on aluminium to curb rising cheap imports

The Aluminium Association of India has warned that unchecked imports could meet over half of India's aluminium demand by FY26, threatening domestic producers

CIL intensifies critical mineral push with fresh bids, global focus

Coal India Ltd is accelerating its diversification strategy by bidding for domestic critical mineral blocks and scouting global lithium, graphite, and rare earth assets

CoalMin proposes escrow fund for underground coal gasification blocks

Stakeholders have 30 days to submit comments on draft rules mandating pilot feasibility studies, real-time groundwater tracking, and escrow funds for UCG mine closure

Steel industry flags price pressure from cheap imports ahead of key meet

Steelmakers seek lower logistics costs, R&D incentives, and inclusion of key alloys in critical minerals list to boost long-term competitiveness

Coal Ministry issues vesting orders for three new commercial mines

Total revenue from commercial coal mines projected at ₹37,700 crore annually as three new blocks are vested under the latest round of coal auctions

Australia launches First Nations mission to boost mining ties with India

Under the mission, a delegation including eight Mining Equipment, Technology and Services (METS) companies, all of which are Australian First Nations-owned, will visit India

Govt expands definition of indigenous tech under gasification scheme

The Ministry of Coal allows foreign-collaborated technologies adapted in India to qualify as indigenous under the coal and lignite gasification incentive scheme

Centre sets timelines to speed up work on auctioned mineral blocks

The amendment sets clear milestones between the issuance of the letter of intent (LoI) and the execution of mining leases, with penalties for delays and incentives for early production

Mines ministry unlikely to cap bid premium in critical mineral auctions

The mines ministry rules out any move to limit bid premiums for critical minerals, even as aggressive offers raise questions over their commercial viability

Centre unveils first State Mining Index to boost reforms in mineral sector

Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Gujarat lead in the first State Mining Readiness Index, as the Centre benchmarks States to boost mining reforms and sustainable practices

Centre reclassifies limestone as major mineral amid rising industrial use

The move, effective October 10, 2025, follows NITI Aayog's panel advice and brings limestone under central regulation as its use grows in large industries

Centre to intensify advance-level exploration of critical mineral blocks

The government is also planning to launch a single-window clearance portal for mining projects by December, which will expedite the mining project execution, including that of critical minerals

Govt floats draft Coal Mines Employees Provident Fund Bill for discussion

The Coal Ministry's draft Bill seeks to replace the 1948 law, modernise the provident fund framework, and align miners' welfare schemes with new labour codes