Commercial coal mining: A question of ecosystems

A major impending reform for the sector is fraught with doubts over demand and the robustness of the regulatory environment

Opening the coal industry for the private sector to mine and sell in the open market is a reform waiting to happen. Some questions, however, have arisen about the timing of the decision – despite the obvious benefits of better price discovery and supply in a market dominated by a state-owned monopolist.

 Just a week before the Union Cabinet approved the methodology for commercial mining, Coal India Ltd released the draft Coal Vision 2030 that suggested that the country does not need new mines. The report is drafted by KPMG India, an independent agency, and would be reviewed by the