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Lok Sabha
Under the revised coal mining policy, State Government companies or undertakings can do mining of coking and non-coking coal or lignite reserves, either by opencast or underground method, anywhere in the country, without the earlier restriction of isolated small pockets. The policy was revised in December, 2001.
Under the Coal Mines (Nationalisation) Act, 1973 a Government company can do commercial coal mining. Government companies include both State Government companies and the Central Government companies. The mining policy decided by the Central Government in May, 1979 allowed coal mining to State Government companies with, among other things, the restriction to work only isolated and small reserves.
As per the revised mining policy no financial assistance from the Central Government will be provided to the company for coal mining in the concerned area, nor the coal mines operated by a State Government company will be taken over by the Central Government in the event of closure of such a mine or otherwise.
This information was given by the Minister of State for Coal and Mines, Dr. Dasari Narayana Rao in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.
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