Coal Minister visited world’s second largest coal mine
Coal Minister takes stock of mining Operations at Gevra – The World’s Second Largest Coal Mine, Felicitates coal miners and women workers, joins them for lunch, clicks selfie with them
Hon’ble Union Minister of Coal and Mines, Shri G. Kishan Reddy, visited SECL’s Gevra mine—the world’s second largest coal mine—on April 10th 2025.
The Minister was accorded a Guard of Honour by the CISF security contingent at Gevra House. At the mine view point, the Gevra team briefed him on operational highlights through a detailed presentation. Shri Reddy felicitated miners, including women, and lauded their tireless efforts in ensuring round-the-clock coal production for India’s energy security.
He personally descended into the mine to witness first-hand the advanced operations, including the use of mega machinery like the 42-cubic-meter shovel and 240-ton dumper, among the largest HEMMs used globally. He observed coal extraction using blast-free surface miner technology and visited the state-of-the-art Silos developed under the First Mile Connectivity initiative for eco-friendly coal transportation.
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The Minister also interacted with machine operators inside their equipment, boosting the morale of the workforce. Workers were visibly elated to be acknowledged directly by the Union Minister.
In a key highlight of his visit, the Minister shared lunch with coal workers at their canteen and clicked selfie with them, underscoring his deep appreciation for their invaluable contribution.
Shri Reddy further visited the Miyawaki plantation pilot site at Gevra, where afforestation has been undertaken using the revolutionary Japanese technique and planted saplings. He also inaugurated the Kalyan Mandap—a modern facility for employee events—underlining the Ministry and SECL’s commitment to employee welfare.
Shri Reddy highlighted the coal sector’s vital role in powering the nation, noting that over 70% of India’s electricity is generated from coal. He stressed the importance of pursuing sustainability in mining operations and accelerating mine closures with a well-defined action plan.
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During the visit, Chairman of Coal India Ltd, Shri P.M. Prasad, Joint Secretary Ministry of Coal Shri BP Pati and SECL CMD Shri Harish Duhan, along with senior officials, accompanied the Hon’ble Minister throughout the program.
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