Shri G. Kishan Reddy, Hon’ble Union Minister Visits NLCIL

Shri G. Kishan Reddy, Hon’ble Union Minister of Coal & Mines, arrived in Neyveli on 22.02.2026 for a review of projects and inauguration of the first ever National Workshop on Mine Closure held at Neyveli.

The Minister was accorded a warm welcome on his arrival by Shri Prasanna Kumar Motupalli, CMD, NLCIL along with Functional Directors. The Union Minister was presented a ceremonial guard of honour by CISF personnel. The Minister had an interaction with members of Trade Unions, Associations, Federations and stakeholders. He later reviewed NLCIL Operations and Growth Plans with senior executives of NLCIL.

On 23 February 2026, Shri G. Kishan Reddy undertook an official visit to the mining site, where he engaged in a meaningful interaction and shared breakfast with the Workforce, acknowledging their dedication and contribution to the sector.

During the visit, he participated in a tree plantation drive, reinforcing the organization’s commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainable mining practices. He also toured a paddy cultivation initiative developed on reclaimed mined land, highlighting the successful transformation of post-mining landscapes into productive agricultural assets.

As part of the community outreach initiatives, Shri Reddy donated cows to tribal beneficiaries at the Goshala, supporting livelihood enhancement and rural self-sufficiency. He further visited the ecologically significant Bat Site, noted for its rich diversity of bat species, underscoring the importance of biodiversity conservation in mining areas.

The Hon’ble Minister also inaugurated the Butterfly Park established within the reclamation zone, a testament to the company’s ongoing ecological restoration efforts. The visit concluded with the inauguration of the Overburden-to-Sand Project, an innovative initiative aimed at sustainable resource utilization and value creation from mining by-products.

At the Lignite Hall, the Hon’ble Union Minister of Coal & Mines, Shri G. Kishan Reddy flagged off an eco-tourism bus initiative for school children, underscoring the importance of environmental awareness and responsible mining practices among the younger generation. He also visited various Stalls showcasing detailed Mine models and other prototypes, reflecting technical advancements and sustainable approaches within the Mining sector. Subsequently, the Hon’ble Minister inaugurated the landmark Two-day National Workshop titled “Moving Beyond Extraction – Mine Closure & Repurposing” marking a significant step towards re-defining India’s Mining paradigm.

The Workshop underscores a transformative shift in the Nation’s mining sector emphasising sustainable mine closure, ecological restoration and productive re-purposing of post-mining landscapes. The National Workshop, inaugurated by the Hon’ble Union Minister consists of Paper presentation by participants on various topics and Panel discussions chaired by eminent subject experts, will conclude on 24.02.2026.

The event brought together high-ranking officials including Shri Vikram Dev Dutt, Secretary of Coal; Smt. Rupinder Brar, Addl. Secretary, Shri Sanoj Kumar Jha, Addl. Secretary, Shri Sajeesh Kumar, Coal Controller, Shri Prasanna Kumar Motupalli, CMD, NLCIL, Shri B. Sairam, CMD, CIL, Shri Buddha Prakash Jyothi, CMD, SCCL, CMD and Directors from across the coal industry, Functional Directors of NLCIL, Senior officials of NLCIL and more than 200 delegates from all over India to establish a scientific and community-centric roadmap for post-mining land use.

During his keynote address, Hon’ble Minister Shri Kishan Reddy emphasized that the workshop was being held at the "best place, under the best conditions, and at the best time." He aligned the initiative with the Prime Minister’s vision for a Viksit Bharat by 2047, noting that while the mining sector drives essential energy security and infrastructure, its legacy must be defined by environmental stewardship. The Minister underscored that mine closure is a matter of national importance and a "new beginning" for displaced communities, urging officials to protect the future of those affected by mining activities. In a bold call to action, Shri Reddy exhorted the Coal Controller to pursue an International Guinness World Record for the maximum number of scientific mine closures in the shortest time, positioning India as a global leader in sustainable restoration. To ensure accountability, Minister Reddy announced that he has personally taken responsibility for overseeing a closure at Western Coalfields and encouraged every official within the Ministry to voluntarily oversee the restoration of at least one Mine. He further stressed the importance of coordination with District Collectors and the use of dedicated social media handles to transparently communicate restoration progress to the public.

Secretary of Coal Shri Vikram Dev Dutt, in his address, remarked that NLCIL served as the ideal venue for this inaugural workshop due to its effective environmental initiatives. The workshop aims to build stakeholder awareness and create a focused framework for implementation across all mining domains, he said.

Shri Prasanna Kumar Motupalli, CMD of NLCIL, outlined the company’s extensive sustainability achievements, noting that NLCIL has already reclaimed 3,115 Hectares of the 6,473 Hectares utilized for mining. He detailed a robust circular economy model where mine overburden is converted into one million metric tonnes of M-sand, alongside the implementation of hi-tech farming, hydroponics, and a 200-cow Goshala. Beyond land restoration, NLCIL’s water management efforts help in irrigating 25,000 Hectares and supply drinking water to 62 villages as well as Chennai. With a target of 10 GW of renewable energy by 2030, the CMD emphasized that each Mine requires a scientific, tailor-made and community-centric restoration process.

Earlier, Shri N. Sajeesh Kumar, Coal Controller, welcomed the delegates and participants of the Workshop.

A book on AVIAN diversity in Neyveli Mine reclaimed land was released by the Hon’ble Union Minister on the occasion. An e-souvenir was also released by the Minister.

The Minister also virtually inaugurated new projects of NLCIL, including a 50 MW Solar Power Plant on reclaimed land at Mine-II, generating approximately 118 million units of green energy annually and offsetting 0.069 million metric tonnes of carbon emissions; 2.4 MW rooftop solar power plants at thermal power stations, optimizing idle rooftop spaces without additional land requirements and an Eco Park at the Barsingsar Lignite Mine in Rajasthan.

Further, the Hon’ble Minister laid the foundation stone, via video conferencing, for the Integrated Township at Talabira II & III OCP and Pachhwara South OCP. These townships are envisioned as modern, self-sustained campuses integrating residential, administrative, institutional, and recreational facilities within a secure and environmentally responsible framework.

On the occasion, as part of the newly introduced Corporate Salary Plan for employees, officials of State Bank of India (SBI) handed over cheques amounting to ₹1.10 Crore towards settlement of Personal Accident Insurance and Group Term Life Insurance claims to the family members of a deceased employee of NLCIL, in the august presence of the Honourable Minister.

The Minister also visited “Ananda Illam” (Elders’ Home), interacted with residents, distributed clothing, and inaugurated the Elders’ Walkway to promote the health and well-being of its occupants.

Later, the Hon’ble Minister also formally unveiled the official Logo commemorating the 70^th year of NLC India Limited and inaugurated the “Platinum Jubilee Garden” in celebration of this distinguished milestone.