**Policy Summary: Advanced Safety Measures in Coal Mines**
This document summarizes the response provided by the Minister of Coal to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2843, answered on August 6, 2025, regarding advanced safety measures in coal mines.
**Key Findings:**
* **Implementation of Safety Measures:** All 647 operating coal mines registered with the Directorate General of Mines Safety (DGMS) have implemented strata management and environmental monitoring systems, as mandated by the Coal Mines Regulation, 2017.
* **Penal Provisions for Non-Compliance:** The Mines Act, 1952, Chapter IX, already specifies adequate provisions to address non-compliance with safety standards, including fines, prosecution, and imprisonment.
* **Safety Audits:** The following table summarizes the total number of safety audits conducted in coal mines of Coal India Limited (CIL), Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL), and NLC India Limited (NLCIL) over the past five years, along with the number of audits conducted in the State of Odisha:
| Years | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 | 2024-25 |
| --------------------------------------- | ------- | ------- | ------- | ------- | ------- |
| CIL (including MCL, Odisha) | 300 | 286 | 293 | 284 | 286 |
| CIL (including MCL, Odisha) audits in Odisha | 12 | 9 | 16 | 21 | 10 |
| SCCL | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 10 |
| NLCIL (Including 1 mine in Odisha) | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| NLCIL audits in Odisha | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
* **Ministry Responsible:** Ministry of Coal, Government of India.
* **Minister Answering:** Shri G. Kishan Reddy, Minister of Coal Mines.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Coal: The government ministry responsible for coal-related affairs.
Shri Kali Charan Singh: Member of Parliament who raised a question in the Lok Sabha.
Directorate General of Mines Safety: A regulatory body responsible for mine safety.
Coal Mines Regulation, 2017: Regulations governing safety in coal mines.
Mines Act, 1952: Legislation addressing safety standards in mines.
Odisha: A state in India where safety audits were conducted.
Coal India Limited: A state-owned coal mining company.
Singareni Collieries Company Limited: A coal mining company.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF COAL
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2843
TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.08.2025
Advanced Safety Measures in Coal Mines
†2843. Shri Kali Charan Singh:
Smt. Himadri Singh:
Shri Balabhadra Majhi:
Shri Bhartruhari Mahtab:
Will the Minister of COAL be pleased to state:
(a) the total number of coal mines where advanced safety measures like strata management
and environmental monitoring have been implemented;
(b) whether the Government proposes to implement stringent penal provisions in case of non-
compliance of such advanced safety standards/protocols;
(c) if so, the details of the proposed penalty framework including the nature of enforcement
measures and any institutional changes envisaged; and
(d) the total number of safety audits carried out in coal mines across the country during the
last five years along with the proportion of these audits carried out in the State of Odisha?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF COAL & MINES
(SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY)
(a): All 647 operating coal mines registered with DGMS ( Directorate General of Mines Safety)
have the Strata management and environmental monitoring systems as mandated under the
Coal Mines Regulation, 2017.
(b) & (c): Adequate provisions have been specified under Chapter IX of the Mines Act, 1952
to address non-compliance with safety standards in mines, which include fines, prosecution,
and imprisonment etc.
(d): Total safety audits conducted in coal mines of CIL, SCCL, and NLCIL, during the last
five years, along with audits carried out in the State of Odisha, are as under:
Years
Name of coal companies 2020- 2021- 2022- 2023- 2024-
21 22 23 24 25
300 286 293 284 286
CIL (including MCL, Odisha)
12 9 16 21 10
SCCL
5 5 5 5 10
NLCIL ( Including 1 mine in Odisha)
18 18 18 18 18
Audit in State of Odisha by MCL in coal mine
Audit in State of Odisha by NLCIL in coal 1 1 1 1 2
mine
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