New Delhi: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday held a crucial meeting with Union Minister for Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy in New Delhi, urging the Centre to facilitate the extraction of new minerals and enhance coal mining operations in the state.
The meeting, held at the minister’s office in Shastri Bhawan, focused on strengthening Assam’s position in the mineral sector and ensuring a stable coal supply to its upcoming thermal power plants.
Sarma emphasised the need for seamless coal linkages, particularly to support Assam’s power infrastructure and economic growth.
A key proposal discussed was the expansion of operations at the Margherita coal mines in Upper Assam.
The chief minister highlighted the potential of the region to generate increased revenue and contribute significantly to the state’s economic development through improved coal output.
Responding positively, Union Minister Reddy assured that the Ministry of Coal and Mines would examine Assam’s requirements and explore avenues for enhanced collaboration in the sector.
“The discussion focused on harnessing Assam’s mineral potential and strengthening cooperation in the mining sector,” the Chief Minister’s Office stated in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Senior officials from the Ministry of Coal and Mines also briefed the Assam delegation on recent policy reforms.
They noted that the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) had recently approved revisions to the Shakti Policy, which aims to streamline coal allocation processes and promote transparency in coal supply to thermal power plants.
The reforms come as India celebrates a milestone achievement of crossing 1 billion tonnes in coal production and dispatch in the 2024–2025 fiscal year.
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The Assam delegation included Chief Secretary Dr. Ravi Kota, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Dr. K.K. Dwivedi, and Resident Commissioner Kavitha Padmanabhan, who joined the chief minister in discussions with senior Union officials.
Later, Sarma shared an update on the meeting via social media, stating, “Had a good meeting on securing Assam’s coal and mineral requirements with Hon’ble Union Minister Shri @kishanreddybjp Ji. We had an in-depth discussion on building seamless coal linkages to the upcoming thermal power plants in the State; expanding operations at the Margherita coal mines and extraction of new minerals.”
