To Boost Competitiveness & Sustainable Mining

In order to foster competitiveness among mines and recognize their outstanding performance, the Ministry of Coal has announced the commencement of the Star Rating Registration process of Coal and Lignite Mines for the financial year 2022-23.

As per the Ministry of Coal, the Star Rating policy aims to evaluate mines based on seven key parameters including Mining Operations, Environment-related parameters, Adoption of Technologies, Best Mining Practices, Economic performance, Rehabilitation and resettlement, Worker-related Compliance, and Safety & security.

The registration process for this year’s Star Rating program began on May 30, with the opening of the Star Rating portal on June 1. Till June 19,376 mines have already applied for participation, marking the highest number of participating mines since the program’s inception in 2018-19. 

To ensure a comprehensive assessment, participating mines are also encouraged to undertake a self-evaluation process, which should be completed by July 31, 2023. 

The top 10% of the highest-scoring mines will be selected for further validation through an inspection conducted by a committee. The remaining 90% of the mines will undergo an online review process, while all participants can contribute to the evaluation by reviewing other mines, the release added.

The comprehensive review will be finalized by October 31, 2023. Subsequently, a Coal Controller review will be conducted, leading to the publication of the final results by January 31, 2024. 

The evaluation will be conducted by the Coal Controller’s Organization, ensuring transparency and impartiality in the assessment.

The Coal Ministry aims to elevate the overall performance and sustainability of coal and lignite mining in the country by driving competitiveness and promoting responsible mining practices. 

The ratings awarded range from Five Star to NO Star, comprehensively evaluating each mine’s achievements.