The Centre on Monday said an additional 19 first mile connectivity projects of state-owned CIL and SCCL will be implemented by 2026-27. ‘The Ministry of Coal will be taking up additional 19 First Mile Connectivity (FMC) projects for Coal India Ltd (CIL) and Singareni Collieries Company Ltd (SCCL) with a capacity of 330 million tonnes (MT) and these projects will be implemented by FY26-27,' the ministry said in a statement.

The Ministry has already funded Rs. 18000 crores in 55 FMC projects, totalling 526 MTPA (44 CIL, 5 SCCL, and 3 NLCIL). Eight projects, totalling 95.5 MTPA in capacity (6 CIL projects and 2 SCCL projects), have already been put into service. The remaining projects will arrive by FY 2025.

“To ensure efficient and environ-friendly coal evacuation in future, the Ministry is working on the development of National Coal Logistic Plan including First Mile Connectivity through railway sidings near coal mines and strengthening of rail network in coalfields. Ministry of Coal has set a target to produce 1.31Billion Ton coal by FY25 and 1.5BT in FY30. In this context, development of coal transportation that is cost efficient, fast and environmental friendly manner is important," said Coal Ministry in a statement today.

The government has prepared an integrated approach for eliminating road transportation of coal in mines and has taken steps to upgrade mechanised coal transportation and loading system under FMC projects. The Ministry has taken initiatives to improve the mechanised coal transportation and loading system under FMC projects and has developed a strategy to build an integrated system for reducing road transportation of coal in mines. Coal Handling Plants (CHPs) and SILOs with Rapid Loading Systems will experience benefits like crushing, sizing of coal and speedy computer aided loading, according to the Ministry.

Through the National Environmental Research Institute (NEERI), Nagpur, a study was conducted in 2020–2021. According to the NEERI Report, there are annual savings of Rs. 2100 crore in diesel, reductions in truck traffic density, and carbon emissions.

Eight eco-parks have recently been built in various sections of the country to encourage mine tourism, and two more such parks will be completed in 2022–2023, according to a Friday announcement from the Coal Ministry. The Jhurey/Bal Gangadhar Tilak Eco-Park of WCL was opened in October 2022 by Union Minister of Coal, Mines & Parliamentary Affairs Shri Pralhad Joshi. Recently, NLCIL and the Pondicherry Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) inked a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to promote eco-tourism at Mine I and II and promote sustainable mining operations.

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