India’s Coal Exploration Goes Digital: Govt to Launch Unified Clearance Module on July 4

In a major leap toward digitizing India’s coal sector, the Ministry of Coal is set to launch a new Exploration Module on the Single Window Clearance System (SWCS) portal on July 4, 2025. Developed in collaboration with the Central Mine Planning and Design Institute Limited (CMPDIL), the module will allow coal block allottees to submit, track, and receive approvals for exploration proposals entirely online.

 

This end-to-end digital interface will streamline the entire coal exploration value chain—from vetting of exploration schemes to approval of geological reports—ensuring transparency, efficiency, and structured timelines. The initiative builds on the SWCS platform launched in 2021, which already integrates key statutory clearances like mining leases, environmental and forest approvals, and land acquisition.

 

Key Highlights:

 

- Launch Date: July 4, 2025, by Union Coal Minister G. Kishan Reddy

- Scope: Covers proposal submission, progress updates, compliance uploads, and final approvals

- Features: Real-time tracking, automated document management, integrated dashboards

- Impact: Expected to cut processing time by over 50%, improve data transparency, and align with India’s energy security goals

- Vision: Supports PM Modi’s “Viksit Bharat” and Digital India mission by enhancing ease of doing business in the coal sector

 

The module is poised to be a game-changer for coal exploration, enabling faster operationalization of blocks and boosting domestic production in a sustainable, tech-driven manner.

 

Source: Economic Times, ABP Live, EnergyWatch