Ranchi: A high-level meeting was held between senior officials of the State Government, Ministry of Coal, Coal India, and its subsidiary units in the presence of Chief Minister Hemant Soren and Union Coal Minister G. Kishan Reddy. The meeting focused on various issues related to coal mining and their solutions.
During the meeting at the Chief Minister’s residential office, the Chief Minister emphasized the need for better collaboration between the Central and State Governments in areas like Coal Mining, Production, Transportation, Land Acquisition Compensation, Displacement, DMFT funds, and CSR activities. He mentioned that resolving coal mining-related problems will help change the negative perception people have towards mining projects and will encourage them to participate in such projects.
Jharkhand Presented the Outstanding Amounts Related to Mineral Royalties
In the meeting, the State Government presented the outstanding amounts related to mineral royalties for various projects, which were prepared at the district level with mining companies. The State Government shared the calculations and basis for the outstanding dues with the Union Coal Minister. In response, the Union Coal Minister ordered that officials from the Central Government collaborate with the State Government to verify the authenticity of these amounts. The Union Coal Minister assured the Chief Minister that the outstanding payments would be made.
Chief Minister Recommended to Award Small Contracts to the Displaced People
The Chief Minister also highlighted the importance of going beyond just providing compensation and jobs to displaced individuals due to land acquisition for coal mining projects. He suggested involving displaced individuals as stakeholders in these projects. This will help gain their trust and ensure better use of CSR activities and DMFT funds. He also recommended that small works in mining projects be awarded to the displaced people through tenders, and urged the Ministry of Coal to issue necessary guidelines in this regard.
In states like Jharkhand, where people have an emotional attachment to their land, the Chief Minister acknowledged that land acquisition for mining projects causes significant distress to people. He said that merely providing compensation and jobs is not enough to ensure their happiness. The displaced people should be involved in coal mining projects in a way that allows them to fully support the Government and coal companies.
The Chief Minister pointed out that many coal projects in the state have already completed mining, but the land has been left abandoned by the coal companies. The land has neither been transferred to the State Government nor utilized productively. As a result, illegal mining is taking place in these closed mines, leading to several incidents. He requested that the land of closed mines be returned to the State Government.
MoC Officials Explained About the Ongoing CSR Activities in Jharkhand
The Chief Minister also inquired about the CSR activities and use of DMFT funds by coal companies in mining areas. Officials from the Ministry of Coal explained that CSR activities are currently being carried out in villages or areas within a 20-kilometer radius of the coal mining zones. The Chief Minister suggested expanding the scope of CSR activities to at least a 50-kilometer radius around the coal mining projects, to ensure that a larger number of people benefit from these development programs.
The Chief Minister also raised concerns about the environmental damage caused by mining activities. He stressed the need for serious action in this regard. He mentioned the ongoing underground fire in Jharia, which has been burning for years without being controlled, and the health issues caused by Uranium mining in Jaduguda, Ghatsila. The Chief Minister urged for a solution to these problems. The Union Coal Minister assured the Chief Minister that the Central Government would take necessary steps to extinguish the underground fire and address health-related issues arising from mining activities.
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