The Ministry of Coal is set to host the prestigious Star Rating Awards Ceremony on September 4 in Mumbai, recognizing outstanding coal and lignite mines across India for their achievements in operational excellence, environmental stewardship, safety, and community development.
Union Minister of Coal & Mines, Shri G. Kishan Reddy, will preside over the ceremony as Chief Guest, alongside Union Minister of State for Coal and Mines, Shri Satish Chandra Dubey. Senior officials, industry stakeholders, and representatives from coal PSUs will also be in attendance.
The Star Rating system, instituted by the Ministry, evaluates mines on seven key modules including mining operations, environmental parameters, technology adoption, economic performance, rehabilitation, worker compliance, and safety. Mines are rated from Five Star to No Star across three categories: Underground, Opencast, and Mixed.
For the 2023–24 assessment year, 383 mines participated, with 42 earning the coveted Five Star Rating. Among them, 4 mines secured first rank, 3 achieved second rank, and 6 attained third rank, while 29 mines received the Achievers Prize.
The event will also feature the launch of the redesigned Coal Controller Organisation (CCO) website and its interactive dashboard. Awards will be presented for the Hackathon on Carbon Capture, Utilisation, and Storage (CCUS). Additionally, the Ministry will unveil ARTHA, a green financing framework for repurposing de-coaled mines, and L.I.V.E.S, a practitioner’s guide for sustainable mine closure.
This ceremony underscores the Ministry’s commitment to responsible mining, energy security, and community welfare, setting new benchmarks for sustainability in India’s coal sector.