TFP Bureau, New Delhi, October 7, 2025: The Ministry of Coal on Tuesday organized a high-level stakeholder consultation at SCOPE Complex, New Delhi, to deliberate on the formulation of a comprehensive Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) framework for Indian coal companies. Senior officials from the Ministry of Coal, along with representatives from Coal India Limited, NLC India Limited, Singareni Collieries Company Limited, and leading private coal companies, participated in the session.
The consultation aimed to establish a sector-specific CSR framework that would guide both public and private coal companies toward responsible, transparent, and sustainable development practices. The new framework is expected to align with the Companies Act, 2013, the Companies (CSR Policy) Rules, 2014, and the guidelines issued by the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE). It will also emphasize community benefit, environmental sustainability, and convergence with national schemes such as those under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Over the years, coal sector public enterprises have implemented numerous CSR initiatives focusing on health, education, environmental protection, sanitation, and sports. However, with the growing participation of private players in the industry, the Ministry of Coal has recognized the need for a unified approach to CSR implementation, monitoring, and reporting across the sector.
Addressing the participants, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Coal, Ms. Rupinder Brar, underscored the importance of aligning CSR, welfare, and sustainability initiatives to create measurable community impact. She emphasized that these efforts should not only benefit the local communities but also contribute to business sustainability by helping companies earn “green credits.” Ms. Brar urged coal companies to prioritize local needs while designing CSR projects, ensuring that initiatives directly address community aspirations.
She also stressed the need for engaging credible agencies to conduct need-based and impact assessments to enhance the effectiveness and accountability of CSR programs. Encouraging collaboration between coal companies, Ms. Brar highlighted that sharing best practices and resources would strengthen the collective impact of the industry’s social responsibility initiatives.
Participants from both public and private coal companies welcomed the Ministry’s initiative and shared their experiences and insights on community engagement, project execution, and lessons learned from ongoing CSR projects. They recommended that the proposed CSR framework include clear Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for budgeting, ensure the sustainability of created assets, and promote transparency in reporting.
Stakeholders also emphasized the need to align CSR reporting with globally recognized frameworks such as the Business Responsibility and Sustainability Report (BRSR), Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). They suggested that the framework should promote partnerships with government schemes and ensure meaningful engagement with local communities to better understand their priorities.
The consultation concluded on a constructive note, with all stakeholders agreeing that a well-structured and transparent CSR framework will be a major step toward fostering inclusive development in coal-mining regions. The Ministry of Coal stated that the valuable suggestions gathered during the discussion would be incorporated into the upcoming CSR policy blueprint to strengthen the social, economic, and environmental impact of the coal sector across India.
