Last Updated on July 5, 2026 11:54 pm by BIZNAMA NEWS

AMN / New Delhi

In a high-level review meeting held in New Delhi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Minister of Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy addressed the escalating concerns regarding illegal coal mining and theft, particularly in Dhanbad and surrounding regions.

During the session, the Ministry of Coal updated the Home Minister on progress made since the October review. Key developments include granting the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and Coal India Limited (CIL) enhanced authority to initiate enforcement actions under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957. While Mr. Shah acknowledged these initial efforts, he underscored the urgent need for more robust interventions to eliminate the threat of unauthorized mining.

To strengthen oversight, the Home Minister issued a series of strategic directives:

• Zero Coal Leakage Plan: The government has launched this comprehensive, time-bound initiative specifically aimed at curbing illegal extraction and the unauthorized transportation of coal.
• Prioritized Security Deployment: The Ministry of Home Affairs has been instructed to elevate the coal sector on the CISF deployment priority list, ensuring immediate security coverage for vulnerable zones.
• Advanced Surveillance: Officials are mandated to utilize high-resolution footage from Integrated Command and Control Centres to pinpoint hotspots and identify individuals involved in illegal operations.
• Continuous Monitoring: The Ministry of Coal has been tasked with conducting frequent reviews of enforcement actions to ensure ongoing compliance.

The government reiterated its commitment to protecting public resources, upholding law and order, and shielding legitimate mining operations from criminal interference.