At the Round Table Interaction on Raw Material Availability in Steel sector at India Steel Expo 2025, Shri Vikram Dev Dutt, Secretary, Ministry of Coal highlighted that coal sector today is undergoing a historic shift — from being viewed as a legacy sector to becoming a key pillar of Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
He further added that Ministry of Coal has adopted a comprehensive five-pillar strategy under Mission Coking Coal, focusing on enhancing domestic output, expanding washing capacity, adopting advanced coke-making tech, accelerating block auctions, and promoting coal gasification for cleaner steelmaking.
He explained that, particularly in light of India’s net-zero goals, the Ministry of Coal is also exploring coal gasification as a cleaner, more advanced method of producing steel. In partnership with stakeholders from the public and private sectors, the Ministry is funding feasibility studies and pilot projects to incorporate coal-to-DRI technology. Coal gasification has the potential to revolutionise low-emission steel production in India with additional R&D, infrastructure, and support of all stakeholders.
