Govt amends Colliery Control Rules to ease opening coal, lignite mines

Government has amended the Colliery Control Rules to remove the CCO's prior permission for opening coal and lignite mines, aiming to cut delays and simplify approvals

The government today announced it has amended the Colliery Control Rules in order to simplify the provisions governing approval for the opening of coal and lignite mines. It said the change would make the coal sector more business friendly and removes procedural redundancies.

 

What did the earlier rules require for opening coal and lignite mines? 

Under the earlier rules, a coal or lignite mine owner was required to obtain prior permission from the Coal Controller’s Organisation (CCO) for opening the mine as well as individual seams or sections of a seam. The CCO's permission was also required for starting a mine if it was not operational for more than 180 days.

   

"To eliminate procedural redundancies, accelerate coal production, and improve efficiency in the approval process, the requirement of obtaining prior opening permission from the CCO has now been dispensed with through amendment of Rule 9 of the Colliery Control Rules, 2004. The Notification amending this Rule has been issued on 23 December 2025," the coal ministry said in a statement.

 

Who will approve mine opening permission under the amended rules? 

Under the amended provisions, the authority to approve mine opening permission has now been vested with the board of the concerned coal company. This reform would streamline the approval process, while ensuring that compliance responsibility remains firmly with the company’s highest decision-making authority, the ministry said, adding this reform is expected to reduce up to two months in operationalisation of a mine.

 

What safeguards have been included in the new process? 

As a safeguard, the new rules provide that the board of the coal company can approve mine or seam opening after the requisite approvals from the government and statutory bodies have been obtained, and the company has to submit information about mine opening to the CCO.