The Union Minister of Coal and Mines, G. Kishan Reddy, addressing the 4th Conference of Mining Ministers on Reforms in the Mines and Coal Sector in Goa on Thursday, highlighted the transformative journey of India's coal and mining sectors and emphasised that sustained reforms have enhanced transparency, efficiency and professionalism, the Ministry of Coal said in a release issued through the Press Information Bureau (PIB) at 6:44 p.m. on November 5. The Ministry of Mines organised the two-day conference on November 5–6 in Goa, bringing together mining ministers from various states and senior central and state officials.

Source: PIB / Ministry of Coal

Focusing on coal, Reddy underscored the need to accelerate coal gasification for the optimum utilisation of India's abundant coal resources, saying it would unlock the economic value of domestic coal, promote industrial diversification, generate employment and strengthen long-term energy security, IANS reported from the conference. He urged coal-bearing states to actively facilitate investments, support infrastructure development and accelerate project implementation.

Source: IANS

On critical minerals, the minister stressed the need to strengthen domestic exploration, mining, processing, refining and recycling capabilities in the evolving global geopolitical landscape, and said developing a self-reliant mineral ecosystem is essential to reducing import dependence and strengthening India's strategic and economic resilience, the PIB release said. He also called on states to harness artificial intelligence, digitalisation and advanced technology across exploration, mine operations and mineral recovery, and to expedite the operationalisation of auctioned mines and accelerate auctions of new blocks.

Source: PIB / Ministry of Coal

Coal Secretary Vikram Dev Dutt told the conference that domestic coal production had surpassed one billion tonnes for the second consecutive year, marking a significant achievement in India's journey towards energy self-reliance and reducing dependence on imported coal, the PIB release said. He highlighted commercial coal mining, the revised SHAKTI framework and Coal SETU, and urged greater private-sector participation and faster operationalisation of coal mines. Union Minister of State Satish Chandra Dubey said the mining sector is a key pillar of economic progress and stressed sustainable and responsible mining, mine rehabilitation and the welfare of communities in mining-affected areas.

Source: PIB / Ministry of Coal

Nation Press, reporting the minister's address in Benaulim, said Reddy framed minerals as a matter of strategic security rather than mere commodities, reported that the production value of major minerals reached Rs 1.89 lakh crore in 2025–26 — more than four times the FY 2014–15 level — and that over Rs 1.36 lakh crore has been collected under the District Mineral Foundation for development in mining-affected districts. Those figures were reported from the minister's conference address and are attributed here to that reporting.

Source: Nation Press

Sources: Press Information Bureau / Ministry of Coal release of November 5, 2026; IANS; and Nation Press, reporting the 4th Conference of Mining Ministers in Goa.