New Delhi: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma has urged the Central Government to grant the state the necessary powers to revive small-scale coal mining under a regulated framework, saying the move would help restore livelihoods for thousands of families while ensuring safety and curbing illegal mining.
According to a post shared by the Chief Minister on X, Sangma met Union Minister for Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy in New Delhi to discuss the issue, which he described as being of great importance to the people living in Meghalaya’s coal-bearing regions.
During the meeting, Sangma highlighted that Meghalaya is a Sixth Schedule State, where land and the minerals beneath it are owned by local people, clans and communities. He urged the Centre to empower the state to allow lawful small-scale coal mining under a robust regulatory framework and the close oversight of the Meghalaya Government.
The Chief Minister said such a framework would enable mining activities to resume in a legal and transparent manner, providing dignified livelihoods to local families while strengthening safety standards and helping eliminate illegal mining practices.
Sharing the outcome of the meeting, Sangma said the Union Minister gave a patient hearing to the state’s concerns and suggested the formation of a joint committee comprising representatives of the Ministry of Coal and the Government of Meghalaya to examine the matter further.
Welcoming the proposal, the Chief Minister said the committee would be constituted soon and expressed hope that it would pave the way for a practical and lawful solution to the long-pending issue.
Sangma also thanked Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy for engaging with the state’s concerns and considering the proposal for further deliberation.
The Chief Minister was accompanied by Sutnga-Saipung MLA Santa Mary Shylla during the meeting with the Union Minister.
