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News– The Government of India has officially classified coking coal as a Critical and Strategic Mineral under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (MMDR Act).
Rationale behind the decision
- The notification is based on the recommendations of the High-Level Committee on Implementation of Viksit Bharat Goals (HLC-VB) and policy inputs provided by NITI Aayog.
- India possesses about 37.37 billion tonnes of coking coal resources, with major deposits concentrated in Jharkhand, and smaller reserves in Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, and Chhattisgarh.
- However, despite significant domestic reserves, India’s dependence on imports has risen, from 51.20 million tonnes in 2020–21 to 57.58 million tonnes in 2024–25.
- At present, nearly 95% of the steel sector’s coking coal demand is met through imports, resulting in substantial foreign exchange expenditure.
About Coking Coal
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