Govt hosts Roadshow for Promotion of Lignite Gasification Projects
Published: May 29, 2026
By TIOLCorplaws News Service
NEW DELHI, MAY 29, 2026: THE Ministry of Coal has successfully organized a Roadshow on the Scheme for Promotion of Surface Coal/Lignite Gasification Projects in New Delhi, witnessing enthusiastic participation from policymakers, State Government representatives, industry leaders, technology providers, investors, financial institutions and key stakeholders from across the coal gasification sector. Minister of Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy graced the occasion as the Chief Guest, while Minister of State for Coal and Mines Satish Chandra Dubey attended the event as the Guest of Honour. Vikram Dev Dutt, Secretary, Ministry of Coal, Sanoj Kumar Jha, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Coal, along with senior officials of the Ministry, were also present during the event.
The Roadshow showcased the immense potential of coal gasification, the policy support available under the newly approved scheme, and the emerging opportunities for large-scale participation in this strategic sector. The event also served as an important platform for dialogue, collaboration and stakeholder engagement towards advancing cleaner and more efficient utilization of India's vast domestic coal resources.
Union Minister of Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy, in his keynote address, said that under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India is steadily advancing towards a future-ready, self-reliant and secure energy ecosystem, with Coal Gasification emerging as a key pillar of the nation's industrial and economic transformation. He emphasized that Coal Gasification is not merely an energy initiative, but a strategic national mission that will help India reduce import dependence, promote clean coal utilisation and create new opportunities across downstream industries including fertilizers, petrochemicals, methanol, hydrogen and advanced manufacturing.
Highlighting the Government's strong commitment towards promoting Coal Gasification, the Minister noted that the Government has already launched a Rs 8,500 crore incentive scheme and recently approved an additional Rs 37,500 crore financial support package to accelerate Coal Gasification projects across the country. He said that these initiatives are expected to attract investments worth nearly Rs 2.5 lakh crore, generate large-scale direct and indirect employment opportunities and create a robust industrial value chain in sectors such as fertilizers, methanol, hydrogen and petrochemicals.
The Minister highlighted that amid evolving global economic trends, geopolitical developments, instability in West Asia and changing global supply chain dynamics, strengthening resilient domestic industrial capacities has become increasingly important for India's long-term economic growth and strategic industrial security. He emphasized that India's vast coal reserves, rising industrial demand, strong policy support and growing technological capabilities provide a solid foundation for the country to emerge as a global leader in clean coal technologies and sustainable industrial development.
Reddy noted that Coal Gasification has the potential to significantly reduce the country's dependence on imported methanol, ammonia, fertilizers and other critical chemicals, thereby protecting farmers, industries and consumers from global trade shocks and price volatility. Reddy further underlined that India possesses the necessary ecosystem, institutional strength and technological capability required to emerge as a major global hub for Coal Gasification. He reiterated that the Government is committed to promoting a strong "Whole of Government Approach" by bringing together Ministries, State Governments, industry leaders, researchers, startups and technology partners to accelerate implementation across the complete Coal Gasification value chain. The Minister expressed confidence that with coordinated efforts and industry participation, Coal Gasification will become a key pillar of India's long-term energy security, industrial self-reliance and the vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047.
In his insightful address, Minister of State for Coal and Mines Satish Chandra Dubey highlighted that the Rs.37,500 crore Scheme approved by the Government marks a major step towards promoting Coal Gasification and cleaner utilization of the country's abundant domestic coal resources. He said the initiative will significantly reduce import dependence on products such as LNG, methanol, ammonia, urea, ammonium nitrate and coking coal, while strengthening India's energy security and industrial self-reliance.
Dubey further highlighted that the initiative will accelerate investments, generate large-scale employment opportunities and promote industrial development, particularly in coal-bearing and economically backward regions of the country. He appreciated the enthusiastic participation of stakeholders and said that Coal Gasification has the potential to open new avenues of growth while ensuring more sustainable and value-added utilization of coal resources.
In his opening remarks at the Roadshow on Promotion of Surface Coal/Lignite Gasification Projects, Vikram Dev Dutt, Secretary, Ministry of Coal, stated that India stands at a pivotal moment where the nation is turning to its own resources and ingenuity to shape the next chapter of industrial transformation, strategic self-reliance and national resilience. He underlined that the initiative is not merely about energy security, but about reducing strategic import dependence, strengthening critical industrial supply chains, creating domestic manufacturing capability and unlocking greater value from India's abundant natural resources. Inviting industry to become equal partners in this national endeavour, he thanked all stakeholders for their enthusiastic participation in the roadshow.
Highlighting India's vast coal and lignite reserves as a national endowment, Dutt, emphasized that the question before the country is not whether coal will be used, but how intelligently it will be utilized. Describing coal gasification as the answer, he noted that the technology enables conversion of coal into value-added products such as synthetic natural gas, urea, methanol, ammonia, hydrogen and DRI for steel production, thereby reducing import dependence across critical sectors. He further stated that the Scheme approved by the Union Cabinet with an outlay of Rs.37,500 crore is expected to mobilize investments of Rs.2.5 to 3 lakh crore and generate approximately 50,000 direct and indirect jobs through nearly 25 new gasification projects across coal-bearing regions. Further, he emphasized that the technology-agnostic framework of the Scheme provides flexibility to project developers while ensuring accountability through milestone-based implementation and monitoring mechanisms.
Referring to the changing geopolitics of global energy and commodity supply chains, Dutt observed that the ongoing conflict in West Asia has reinforced the urgency of building strategic self-sufficiency across energy, fertilizers, chemicals and steel. He stated that India's coal is not merely a commodity, but a strategic asset capable of strengthening the nation's long-term economic and industrial resilience. Underscoring the Government's commitment towards timely implementation, robust governance and industry partnership, he extended an open invitation to PSUs, private companies, technology providers and financial institutions to actively participate in this transformational initiative, adding, "The opportunity is unprecedented. The need is urgent. The support is generous. And the time is now."
The Roadshow also featured an engaging interaction and Question and Answer session, during which potential investors and stakeholders interacted on issues relating to project viability, policy incentives, technology readiness, implementation models and the broader enabling framework required for the growth of surface coal and lignite gasification projects. The interactive exchange reflected the growing confidence of industry in the emerging Coal Gasification sector and the Ministry's commitment towards responsive stakeholder engagement and facilitation.
The Roadshow provided a valuable platform for knowledge sharing, partnership building and collaborative discussions, further strengthening the momentum around surface coal and lignite gasification projects in the country. The Ministry of Coal reiterated its commitment towards facilitating the development of a future-ready Coal Gasification sector through sustained policy support, stakeholder collaboration, technological advancement and efficient utilization of domestic coal resources, in line with the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat.
