Forest clearances, mining lease execution obtained for different coal blocks in May: Govt

The government on Monday said during the month of May three important clearances were obtained, including forest clearances and mining lease execution for different coal blocks.

According to a coal ministry statement, during May three important clearances were obtained, including Stage-I and Stage-II forest clearances and mining lease execution for different coal blocks.

Forest clearance for coal mining projects is a mandatory process, required under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, when a project involves the diversion of forest land for non-forestry purposes. This process ensures that the project proponent compensates for the loss of forest cover through compensatory afforestation and other measures.

While, mining lease is a legal agreement that grants a company the right to extract minerals from a specific land area, typically in exchange for rent or royalties. It's a contract between a landowner (often the government) and a mining company, allowing them to explore and mine the land for a set period.

The ministry further said that coal production from captive and commercial mines for the month of May was at 16.432 million tonnes (MT), representing a year-on-year growth of 24.57 per cent compared to May 2024.

A total of 17.499 million tonnes of coal was dispatched last month, showing a 13.763 per cent increase compared to May 2024.

In another statement the ministry said that the domestic coal production during May 2025 increased to 86.24 MT (provisional), over 83.96 MT produced in the corresponding period of the previous year.

As on May 31, the coal stock held by coal companies witnessed a growth of 29.18 per cent, reaching 122.69 MT, as compared to 94.98 MT during the corresponding period of the previous year.

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