Chhattisgarh Reviews Coal and Mining Plans, Puts Tribal Livelihoods at Centre

Union Coal and Mines Minister G. Kishan Reddy (left) and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai review the state’s coal and mining sectors at a high-level meeting at the Chief Minister’s residence office in Raipur on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Photo: primelookindia.com via CG/DPR

Union Coal and Mines Minister G. Kishan Reddy praises Bastar’s tin procurement portal and calls for greater use of mining funds in affected districts. Chhattisgarh reports ₹16,738 crore in mineral revenue for 2025–26.

Key Highlights

• Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said Chhattisgarh would work with the Centre to develop its mineral resources, create jobs and ensure that mining benefits reach local communities.
• Payments to tribal tin ore collectors in Bastar rose from about ₹90.82 lakh in 2024–25 to about ₹3.81 crore in 2025–26.
• Reddy urged districts to use District Mineral Foundation funds for education, healthcare, drinking water, livelihoods and infrastructure.
• The review covered critical mineral exploration, coal production, clearances for auctioned blocks and plans to restore land after mine closure.
• Reddy praised Chhattisgarh’s use of Khanij Online 2.0, drone surveillance, digital transport monitoring and star ratings for mining operations.

Raipur: Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said Chhattisgarh would work with the Centre to develop its mineral resources responsibly and ensure that the economic gains reach tribal communities and people living in mining-affected areas. Sai and Union Coal and Mines Minister G. Kishan Reddy took part in a high-level review of the coal and mining sectors at the Chief Minister’s residence office in Raipur on Tuesday, November 3, 2026.

The meeting reviewed mineral exploration, block auctions, coal production, the development of critical and strategic minerals, and the use of District Mineral Foundation (DMF) funds. Officials also presented the state’s efforts to use digital tools to oversee mining operations and mineral transport.

Sai said Chhattisgarh’s mineral resources were important to India’s industrial and economic growth and to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a self-reliant India. He said the state would pursue investment and job creation while protecting the environment and taking account of the needs of communities affected by mining.

The economic benefits of mineral development must reach people in mining-affected areas, particularly tribal communities, Sai said. He added that responsible management of mineral resources, investment and local employment could help make Chhattisgarh a major contributor to India’s growth.

Reddy Praises Bastar’s Tin Procurement Portal

Union Coal and Mines Minister G. Kishan Reddy (foreground left) and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, seated beside him, review the state’s coal and mining sectors with senior officials at the Chief Minister’s residence office in Raipur on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Photo: primelookindia.com via CG/DPR

Reddy singled out the TIN portal for making tin ore procurement more transparent and helping tribal collectors in Bastar obtain prices linked to the market. The Chhattisgarh Mineral Development Corporation developed the portal in collaboration with Indian Overseas Bank. Sai launched it on August 31, 2026.

The platform digitises procurement, transport, sales, pricing and payments. Prices are linked to the London Metal Exchange, and payments go directly into collectors’ bank accounts through Direct Benefit Transfer. The portal also supports digital registration, QR code verification, SMS alerts and real-time monitoring.

According to figures presented at the meeting, the corporation paid about ₹90.82 lakh for more than 8,707 kg of tin ore in 2024–25. In 2025–26, it paid about ₹3.81 crore for more than 20,895 kg. Total payments to collectors thus rose more than fourfold over the year.

Six procurement centres are operating in the Bastar division. Three are in Dantewada district at Bacheli, Katekalyan and Chikpal, and three are in Sukma district at Tongpal, Nama and Chintalnar. Three additional centres are being set up.

The meeting also discussed an initiative to develop Bastar’s columbite resources. Sai said such measures could help create more stable livelihoods and strengthen the economic self-reliance of tribal communities.

Reddy Calls for Mining Funds to Improve Local Services

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai (foreground right) and Union Coal and Mines Minister G. Kishan Reddy, seated beside him, review coal production, mineral exploration and pending mining projects with senior officials at the Chief Minister’s residence office in Raipur on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Photo: primelookindia.com via CG/DPR

Reddy said the purpose of the District Mineral Foundation was to improve living conditions in mining-affected areas and nearby communities. He called for spending to reflect local needs and help address gaps in basic services.

District Mineral Foundation funds should be used to improve education, healthcare, drinking water, livelihoods and infrastructure in mining-affected areas, Reddy said.

He also urged districts previously affected by Maoist violence to make full use of the flexibility available to them under DMF rules. He said the provision could help these districts move faster on projects suited to the needs of their communities.

Chhattisgarh Reports ₹16,738 Crore in Mineral Revenue

The Directorate of Geology and Mining, working with the state Mineral Resources Department, reported that Chhattisgarh earned ₹16,738 crore in mineral revenue in 2025–26. The presentation also reported continued growth in the production of coal, iron ore, limestone and tin.

Officials briefed the meeting on the progress of lithium and tin block auctions, the operating status of allotted mines and efforts to identify and develop new mineral resources.

Reddy praised the state’s efforts to increase mineral revenue and improve oversight through Khanij Online 2.0, drone-based monitoring, digital surveillance and star ratings for mining operations. Officials also presented DMF Portal 2.0 and the use of artificial intelligence and other digital tools to track mineral transport. The state said these measures were intended to simplify regulatory procedures and help detect illegal mining and unauthorised transport.

Critical Mineral Exploration and Block Clearances

The review examined the potential for developing lithium, graphite, rare earth elements, vanadium, gallium, phosphorite and tin in Chhattisgarh. Reddy urged officials to make greater use of central funding and modern exploration techniques to identify deposits and assess their development potential.

Exploration, domestic production and processing of critical minerals should be accelerated to strengthen supply chains and reduce dependence on imports, Reddy said.

He also called for faster statutory clearances and related procedures so that auctioned mineral blocks could begin operations sooner. The discussion covered opportunities for mineral-based industries and for processing more of the raw material within India.

Coal Production and Scientific Mine Closure

The meeting reviewed operational and non-operational coal blocks, production capacity, statutory approvals and obstacles facing individual projects. Reddy called for better coordination among departments and agencies, along with the infrastructure needed to bring projects into operation and increase coal output.

A separate review with South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL), a subsidiary of Coal India Limited, covered production, mine operations and pending district-level matters. Collectors from the districts concerned joined by video conference.

Mines where extraction has ended should be closed to scientific standards, with plans to restore the land and put it to productive use, Reddy said. He asked officials to consider environmental restoration and the interests of nearby communities when preparing closure plans.

Chief Secretary Vikas Sheel, Additional Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Pingua, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Subodh Kumar Singh, Coal India Chairman and Managing Director B. Sairam and SECL Chairman and Managing Director Harish Duhan attended the review, along with senior central and state officials.