The Indian government has committed to fully utilising the budget allocated for coal mine conservation and safety, following serious concerns raised by a parliamentary panel about significant under-spending in the last financial year. The assurance came in response to observations made by the Standing Committee on Coal, Mines and Steel regarding the demands for grants for 2025-26.
Parliamentary Panel Flags Stagnant Budget and Skewed Spending
The committee's fourth report for the 18th Lok Sabha, which was tabled in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha on Friday, March 12, highlighted a critical issue. It noted that the budgetary allocation for safety and infrastructure development in coal mines for 2025-26 has remained stagnant at Rs 20 crore. This is despite the occurrence of a considerable number of mine accidents.
The panel revealed that for the 2024-25 financial year, the initial allocation of Rs 20 crore was later reduced to Rs 10.79 crore in the revised estimates. More alarmingly, the actual quarterly spending was highly skewed. As of February 12, 2025, only Rs 1.7 crore was spent in the first quarter and Rs 6.9 crore in the third quarter, with the second quarter reflecting nil expenditure. The committee stated this indicated no significant investment in crucial safety upgrades.
Ministry's Action Plan: Hi-Tech Security and Worker Welfare
In its Action Taken Report (ATR), the Ministry of Coal has now assured the committee that the safety budget will be utilised in full. The funds are earmarked for several key initiatives aimed at modernising mine safety and protecting workers.
The ministry stated the money will be used to improve the execution of advanced safety installations. These include:
- LiDAR scanners for precise mapping and monitoring.
- Tele-monitoring systems for remote oversight.
- AI-based hazard detection systems, particularly for underground mines.
- Mandatory biometric attendance for workers to accurately track and regulate unpaid extra working hours.
- General modernisation of safety equipment.
Furthermore, the Ministry added that the effectiveness of the National Coal Mine Safety Portal will be reviewed periodically. Public sector undertakings under the ministry will also examine global safety practices to help reduce recurring fatal accidents.
Root Causes of Accidents and Ministry's Explanation
The parliamentary committee's report identified multiple systemic issues affecting worker safety and operational efficiency. These challenges include land acquisition problems, roof fall incidents, a limited safety culture, negligence, illegal and rat-hole mining, unplanned coal transportation, and coal theft.
In its defence regarding the low expenditure, the Ministry of Coal explained in the ATR that sufficient requisitions were not received under the sub-scheme during FY 2024-25. Consequently, only Rs 8.6 crore was actually spent on conservation and safety in coal mines against the revised estimate of Rs 9.7 crore.
The government's renewed commitment aims to address the critical safety gap, leveraging technology to create a safer working environment for coal miners while ensuring strict compliance with work-hour regulations.
