On 23-12-2025, the Ministry of Coal notified the Colliery Control (Amendment) Rules, 2025, aiming to eliminate procedural redundancies, accelerate coal production, and ensure faster operationalisation of mines while maintaining regulatory oversight.
The Amendment Rules came into force on 24-12-2025.
Key Points:
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These Amendment Rules modify Colliery Control Rules, 2004 under powers conferred by Section 18(1) and (2) of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957.
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Earlier, under Rule 9, mine owners were required to obtain prior permission from the Coal Controller’s Organisation (‘CCO’) for:
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Opening a coal or lignite mine.
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Opening individual seams or sections of a seam.
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Restarting operations after 180 days of discontinuance.
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Now, these Amendment Rules revise Rule 9 with new provisions:
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Approval Authority: Prior approval for opening a coal mine, seam, or section of a seam is now vested in the Board of the company, instead of the CCO.
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Conditions:
⮚ Board will be required to ensure all requisite permissions and compliances from Central/State Governments and statutory bodies.
⮚ Intimation to CCO within 15 days of opening.
⮚ CCO can prescribe a form for this purpose.
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For owners not registered under Companies Act, 2013, approval will continue through CCO.
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These provisions also apply when mining operations resume after being discontinued for 180 days or more.
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The CCO will maintain an indicative list of permissions required from Central/State Governments and statutory bodies.
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The amendment removes procedural redundancies and enables faster operationalisation of mines, while ensuring continued regulatory oversight.
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The reform is expected to cut mine opening timelines by up to 2 months, streamline approvals by empowering company Boards, and retain regulatory oversight through mandatory clearances and intimation to the CCO.