Ministry of Coal to host Star Rating Awards ceremony, stakeholder consultation on MDOs tomorrow

The ministry added in its release that the aim of the events is to recognise the exceptional performance of coal and lignite mines, foster engagement with key stakeholders, and provide valuable insights into the coal sector.

Union Minister of Coal and Mines, G. Kishan Reddy and Minister of State for Coal and Mines, Satish Chandra Dubey will attend the event.

The Star Rating Awards acknowledge the outstanding performance of coal and lignite mines, aiming to promote responsible mining practices, enhance industry standards, and ensure sustainable growth in the sector. The Ministry has established a comprehensive Star Rating mechanism that evaluates mines across seven key modules: Mining Operations, Environmental Factors, Adoption of Technologies-Best Mining Practices, Economic Performance, Rehabilitation & Resettlement, Worker-Related Compliance, and Safety & Security.

The Star Ratings are awarded on a scale from Five Star to No Star, based on the holistic assessment of each mine's performance. The ratings cover three categories of mines: Underground Mines (UG), Opencast Mines (OC), and Mixed Mines. For the year 2022-23, total 380 mines have participated in star rating award and 43 mines have qualified for the prestigious Five Star Rating, scoring more than 91%. Among them, 4 mines have been ranked for 1st, 2 mines ranked 2nd, and 6 mines ranked for 3rd prizes. No mines have been qualified under the mixed category for this year.

The Ministry of Coal will also host a Stakeholder Consultation on Mining Developers cum Operators (MDOs), focusing on streamlining operations, enhancing productivity, and reducing mining costs.

The primary objective of this consultation is to engage MDOs to significantly boost coal production, reduce the country's reliance on imported coal, and introduce cutting-edge technology in the mining sector.

The ministry said that the consultation is a crucial platform for open dialogue between the Ministry and MDOs, ensuring that industry best practices are shared and adopted to achieve a more streamlined and productive coal-mining ecosystem. The stakeholders' consultation aims to identify and address the operational challenges faced by MDOs, such as logistical bottlenecks, regulatory compliance, and the coordination between public and private stakeholders.

By engaging with MDOs, the Ministry of Coal aims to build a robust and forward-looking coal sector that can meet the nation's growing energy requirements while maintaining high standards of safety, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness, the release added.

Further, the event will feature the iGOT Awards (Integrated Government Online Training) under the Ministry of Mines. The Ministry of Coal will also release the Coal Directory of India, a comprehensive repository offering insights into coal and lignite production, sectoral dispatches, and other critical aspects of the coal industry. Additionally, Swachhata Awards will be presented during the event.

These events underscore the Ministry of Coal's commitment to enhancing the performance of coal and lignite mines, promoting sustainable practices, and ensuring the availability of accurate data for stakeholders. Through these efforts, the Ministry continues to drive the growth and development of the Indian coal sector, the ministry added. (ANI)