**Executive Summary**
This document is a notification of rules for opening a coal mine, addressed to the Minister of Coal. The document confirms the Colliery Control (Amendment) Rules notified on December 23, 2025, which dispense with the need for prior approval from the Coal Controller Organisation (CCO). Companies are required to send an intimation to the Coal Controller Organisation within 15 days of opening a coal mine, seam, or section of a seam.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Amendment Rules Notification:**
* The Government notified the Colliery Control (Amendment) Rules on 23.12.2025.
* **Dispensation of Prior Approval:**
* Prior approval from the Coal Controller Organisation (CCO) is no longer required for companies opening a coal mine, seam, or section of a seam.
* **Intimation Requirement:**
* After opening, the concerned company must send an intimation to the Coal Controller Organisation within fifteen days.
* **Authority of the Board:**
* The Board of the concerned company is entrusted with the authority to approve the opening of a coal mine, seam, or section of a seam after obtaining necessary approvals from the Central/State Government and statutory bodies.
* **Restarting Mines:**
* The amendment also applies to commencing mining operations in mines that have been non-operational for 180 days or more.
* **Information Submission (Companies):**
* After Board permission, a company opening a coal mine, seam, or section of a seam must submit requisite information to the Coal Controller Organisation.
* **Prior Approval (Collieries other than Companies):**
* Collieries other than companies must obtain prior approval from the Coal Controller Organisation (CCO) before opening a coal mine, seam, or section of a seam.
**Impact Analysis**
**Coal Companies**
* **Impact:** Greater autonomy in opening coal mines/seams due to dispensed prior approval, but new requirement to send an intimation to CCO.
* **Action Required:** Establish processes for intimating the CCO within fifteen days of opening a coal mine, seam, or section of seam.
**Coal Controller Organisation (CCO)**
* **Impact:** The role changes from granting prior approvals to receiving notifications and information submissions after the opening of mines/seams for companies and maintaining oversight for collieries other than companies.
* **Action Required:** Adjust internal processes to handle notifications and information submissions from companies and to continue processing prior approval requests from collieries other than companies.
Key Entities Referenced
Colliery Control (Amendment) Rules: Rules regarding the control of collieries, amended to dispense with Coal Controller Organisation's nod for opening a coal mine.
Ministry of Coal: The government ministry responsible for matters related to coal.
Coal Controller Organisation (CCO): A regulator whose prior approval, under certain circumstances, is no longer required for opening a coal mine.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF COAL
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1921
ANSWERED ON 11.02.2026
Notification of Rules for Opening of Coal Mine
1921. Shri Selvaganapathi T.M:
Will the Minister of COAL be pleased to state:
(a) whether it is a fact that the Government has notified rules that dispense with the
Coal Controller Organization’s nod for opening a coal mine;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the amendment entrusts the board of the concerned coal firm with the
authority to accord the requisite permissions and if so, the details thereof;
(d) whether it is also a fact that the amendment would also apply to permission for
restarting mines that were non-operational for 180 days or more and if so, the details
thereof; and
(e) whether it is a fact that the role of the Coal Controller Organization would be limited
to receive information about the approval already granted by the board and if so, the
details thereof?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF COAL & MINES
(SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY)
(a) & (b): Yes, the Government has notified the Colliery Control (Amendment) Rules
on 23.12.2025, which dispense with the requirement of prior approval from the Coal
Controller Organisation (CCO) for opening a coal mine or a seam or a section of a
seam. However, an Intimation has to be sent to the Coal Controller Organisation by
the concerned company within a period of fifteen days.
(c): Yes, after notification of the Colliery Control (Amendment) Rules on 23.12.2025,
the authority to approve the opening of a coal mine, seam, or section of a seam has
been entrusted to the Board of the concerned company, which shall grant such
permission after obtaining requisite approvals from the Central/ State Government and
statutory bodies.
(d): Yes, the amendment is also applicable for the commencement of mining
operations in such mines that were non-operational for 180 days or more.
(e): With respect to a company, amendment to the Colliery Control Rules provides that
after grant of permission by Board of the company for opening of their coal mine, or a
seam or a section of seam, requisite information has to be submitted to the Coal
Controller Organisation. However, collieries other than companies shall be required to
obtain prior approval of the Coal Controller Organisation (CCO) before opening a coal
mine or a seam or a section of a seam.
*****