Scheme for Promotion of Surface Coal/Lignite Gasification Projects Approved with ₹46,000 Crore Outlay

Key facts

• The Union Cabinet approved the Scheme for Promotion of Surface Coal/Lignite Gasification Projects with a total financial outlay of ₹46,000 crore.
• The Ministry of Coal (MoC) initiative aims to convert domestic coal into value-added products such as methanol, ammonia, and fertiliser feedstocks to reduce reliance on imports.
• India holds nearly 400 billion tonnes of coal reserves, making it the fifth-largest in the world, and currently stands as the world's second-largest producer and consumer of coal.
• Nearly 70 per cent of the country's electricity generation is dependent on coal, which supports millions of livelihoods across the industrial sector.
• Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) and Central Institute of Mining and Fuel Research (CIMFR) have showcased indigenous coal gasification technologies to promote technological self-reliance.