**Summary:**
This document summarizes the Ministry of Coal's response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2785, answered on August 6, 2025, regarding the allotment of unused coal blocks for research purposes. The Minister of Coal and Mines, Shri G. Kishan Reddy, stated that currently, the government has not identified and allotted any unused coal blocks specifically for research purposes. However, research activities are being conducted by coal companies on active coal blocks, and Coal India Limited (CIL) is undertaking Research and Development (R&D) work on underground coal gasification in an abandoned coal mine of Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL). Consequently, there are no specified criteria for designating coal blocks as suitable for research activities, nor is there a prescribed application or approval process for researchers seeking access to unused coal blocks. No coal blocks have been allotted to research institutions, universities, or private researchers in the last five years. Given the absence of allotted unused coal blocks, the questions regarding environmental protection and safety standards, collaboration between researchers and mining companies, and impact assessments of research activities do not arise.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Coal: The Indian government ministry responsible for the coal sector.
Lok Sabha: The lower house of the Parliament of India, where the question was raised.
SHRI MANICKAM TAGORE B: Member of Parliament who raised the question.
SHRI VIJAYAKUMAR ALIAS VIJAY VASANTH: Member of Parliament who raised the question.
SHRI SURESH KUMAR SHETKAR: Member of Parliament who raised the question.
SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY: Minister of Coal and Mines who provided the answer.
CIL: Coal India Limited, a state-owned coal mining company in India.
ECL: Eastern Coalfields Limited, a subsidiary of Coal India Limited.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF COAL
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO 2785
TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.08.2025
ALLOTMENT OF UNUSED COAL BLOCKS FOR RESEARCH PURPOSE
2785. SHRI MANICKAM TAGORE B:
SHRI VIJAYAKUMAR ALIAS VIJAY VASANTH:
SHRI SURESH KUMAR SHETKAR:
Will the Minister of Coal be pleased to state:
(a) the details of list of all unused coal blocks currently identified and available for research
purposes across the country;
(b) the criteria adopted by the Government to designate specific coal blocks as suitable for
research activities including geological, environmental and logistical factors considered during
this evaluation;
(c) the number of coal blocks that have been allotted to research institutions, universities, or
private researchers during the last five years along with the scope of the research conducted;
(d) the details of the application and approval process for researchers seeking access to unused
coal blocks;
(e) the measures put in place to ensure that research activities in these coal blocks comply with
environmental protection and safety standards;
(f) the manner in which the Government facilitate collaboration between coal researchers and
mining companies for the development of innovative coal utilization technologies; and
(g) whether the Government has conducted any impact assessment of research activities on the
ecological and social environment of these unused coal blocks, if so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF COAL AND MINES
(SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY)
(a) : At present, no unused coal block has been identified and allotted for research purposes
by the Government. However, researches are being done by coal companies on active coal
blocks. Further, CIL is conducting R&D work on underground coal gasification in abandoned
coal mine of ECL.
(b): At present, there is no criteria specified to designate specific coal blocks as suitable for
research activities including geological, environmental and logistical factors.
(c): During the last five years, no coal block has been allotted to research institutions,
universities, or private researchers. However, for active coal blocks, different research
activities are taken up by coal companies.
1(d): At present, no application or approval process has been prescribed for researchers for
seeking access to unused coal blocks.
(e) to (g): Does not arise in view of reply to part (a) above.
*****
2