Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma said that the Centre was examining the State government’s proposal to tweak the mining rules to suit local conditions.

He told the 60-member Assembly on Tuesday (August 25, 2026) that the Ministry of Coal acknowledged Meghalaya’s unique mining conditions and the need for a separate approach.

Replying to a short-duration discussion raised by Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit, the president of the regional Voice of the People Party (VPP), Mr. Sangma said authorised coal production began in three coal blocks after the Ministry of Coal granted mining leases for 12 blocks.

He said the National Green Tribunal (NGT) banned the hazardous practice of rat-hole coal mining in Meghalaya in April 2014. However, the Supreme Court allowed scientific mining in 2019, subject to compliance with the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, or MMDR Act; the Mines Act, 1952; and the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.

Land ownership issues

The Chief Minister said implementing scientific mining has been difficult because coal-bearing areas in Meghalaya are largely under traditional land ownership and the State’s steep coal seams make open-cast mining impractical in several locations.

“The Ministry of Coal views Meghalaya’s case differently, and it understands that a framework to balance safety and livelihood is necessary,” he said.

He reminded the House of his recent meeting with Coal Minister G. Kishan Reddy in New Delhi along with the MLA of a coal-bearing area to discuss the difficulties associated with the transition to scientific mining. “The Union Minister told officials to examine the issue and find a workable solution,” he said.

Granting mining leases

Mr. Sangma said one of the key challenges in expanding scientific coal mining in Meghalaya was the regulatory requirement of a minimum 100-hectare area for granting mining leases. “This requirement poses significant difficulties for small miners, many of whom do not possess landholdings of the prescribed size,” he said.

The Chief Minister said that he urged the Centre to consider reducing the minimum concession area from 100 hectares, set up a unit to monitor mining activity in the State, and delegate powers under Section 26 of the MMDR Act to the State government to handle all aspects of mining.

He further said that the scale of mining in East Jaintia Hills district has added to the challenge of implementing scientific operations. “The district has about 22,000 coal mines, which makes it difficult for the officials to ensure the operations are carried out according to the law,” he said.

Mr. Sangma said illegal mining led to the closure of coal mines in Meghalaya, affecting the livelihood of thousands of people. “Our government’s objective is to allow mining within a legal framework, while cracking down on illegal operations,” he said.

A committee constituted by the High Court of Meghalaya has repeatedly slammed the State government for failing to curb illegal coal mining and transportation.