RTI for Coal Mines: Coal India, IBM, and Mining-Affected Communities

Coal is the backbone of India's power sector, supplying fuel for roughly two-thirds of the country's electricity generation. Coal India Limited (CIL) and its subsidiaries together form the world's largest coal producer, operating hundreds of mines across eight states. The Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM) regulates metallic and non-coal mining and plays a role in coal mine technical oversight. The Ministry of Coal and the Ministry of Mines govern policy. All of these bodies are Central Government public authorities under the Right to Information Act, 2005. For the millions of people who live in mining-affected areas across Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, and Maharashtra, RTI is one of the most important accountability tools available. This guide explains how to use it.

Coal India and Its Subsidiaries: All Public Authorities

CIL (Coal India Limited) is a Maharatna Central PSU under the Ministry of Coal. As a government company in which the Government of India holds a majority stake, it is a public authority under Section 2(h) of the RTI Act. CIL is the holding company; actual mining operations are conducted through seven operational subsidiary companies and one non-operational entity, each of which is also a public authority.

The seven operational CIL subsidiaries are:

• ECL (Eastern Coalfields Ltd) — headquartered at Sanctoria, West Bengal; operates mines across West Bengal and parts of Jharkhand
• BCCL (Bharat Coking Coal Ltd) — headquartered at Dhanbad, Jharkhand; operates coking coal mines in the Jharia coalfield
• CCL (Central Coalfields Ltd) — headquartered at Ranchi, Jharkhand; operates mines in Jharkhand
• NCL (Northern Coalfields Ltd) — headquartered at Singrauli, Madhya Pradesh; operates open-cast mines in the Singrauli coalfield
• WCL (Western Coalfields Ltd) — headquartered at Nagpur, Maharashtra; operates mines in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh
• SECL (South Eastern Coalfields Ltd) — headquartered at Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh; operates mines across Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh; the largest CIL subsidiary by production
• MCL (Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd) — headquartered at Sambalpur, Odisha; operates mines across Odisha; one of the fastest-expanding subsidiaries
• NEC (North Eastern Coalfields) — headquartered in Assam; operates mines in the northeast directly under CIL's management

CMPDIL (Central Mine Planning and Design Institute Ltd) is a CIL subsidiary responsible for mine planning, exploration data, and technical advisory services for CIL's mines. It is also a public authority.

All of the above — CIL, ECL, BCCL, CCL, NCL, WCL, SECL, MCL, NEC, and CMPDIL — are Central PSUs. RTI applications to any of them are filed at rtionline.gov.in. When filing, it is important to address the application to the CPIO of the specific subsidiary that operates in the area or holds the specific records you are seeking, rather than to CIL's corporate CPIO. CIL subsidiaries each have their own CPIO offices at their headquarters and at major area offices.

IBM (Indian Bureau of Mines) is a Central Government body under the Ministry of Mines, with headquarters at Nagpur and regional offices. IBM regulates metallic and non-coal mining and provides technical oversight for coal mines in certain capacities (mine plan approvals for non-CIL coal mines, statistical data, etc.). IBM is a public authority under Section 2(h) of the RTI Act.

MoCoal (Ministry of Coal) and MoMines (Ministry of Mines) are Central Government ministries — fully subject to the RTI Act as public authorities.

The ₹10 fee under the RTI (Regulation of Fee and Cost) Rules, 2005 applies across all these bodies; BPL cardholders are exempt. Responses are due within 30 days under Section 7(1) — 48 hours under the proviso if the information concerns the life or liberty of a person. First Appeal under Section 19(1) must be filed within 30 days. Second Appeal under Section 19(3) goes to the Central Information Commission (CIC) for all of these Central bodies.

State Mineral Departments: A Parallel but Distinct System

State Mineral Departments — the state government bodies that levy royalties on coal and other minerals extracted from state land, and that manage minor minerals licensing — are state bodies. RTI applications to them are filed with the respective State Government CPIO. Second appeals go to the relevant State Information Commission (SIC), not the CIC.

This distinction matters practically. Royalty payments made by CIL subsidiaries to state governments are recorded both in the subsidiary's accounts (accessible via RTI to the CIL subsidiary/CIC chain) and in the state mineral department's records (accessible via RTI to the state/SIC chain). District Mineral Foundation (DMF) levies, which go into funds intended to benefit mining-affected communities and are administered by state district administrations, are also state-side records.

The Coal Block Allotment Context

The history of coal block allotment in India casts a long shadow over the sector. For over two decades until 2014, coal blocks were allocated to companies — both public sector and private sector — by the government without competitive bidding, through an opaque screening committee process. The Supreme Court of India, in its landmark 2014 judgment in Common Cause vs. Union of India, cancelled 214 coal block allocations as having been made arbitrarily and without a fair, transparent process. The judgment described the allocation process as suffering from a fundamental lack of transparency.

Following the de-allocation, Parliament enacted the Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Act, 2015, which established an auction mechanism for coal blocks to be allocated to the private sector and to Central and State PSUs through competitive e-auction. Coal blocks for CIL's use are now allocated by the Central Government through a schedule-based process.

RTI to MoCoal is relevant for understanding the current allocation of any specific coal block: which company holds the allocation, under what instrument, and on what terms. For e-auctioned blocks, the auction results — winning bidder, offered revenue share over Floor Price, and committed work programme — are public records maintained by MoCoal.

RTI Use Case 1: Coal Block Allotment Terms and E-Auction Results

RTI to MoCoal or to CMPDIL can provide: the instrument of allocation (letter of allocation, mining lease order) for a specific coal block; the winning bidder in the e-auction for a specific block; the revenue share bid by the winner; the work programme committed by the allottee; and the current status of mine development against the committed timeline.

For existing CIL operational mines (which are not auctioned but operated by the specific CIL subsidiary), RTI to the relevant subsidiary can provide: the production plan for the mine for the current and upcoming years; the approved Mine Development and Production Agreement (MDPA) where applicable; and the environmental clearance granted for the mine's expansion.

RTI Use Case 2: Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation and Resettlement

This is where RTI has its most urgent and direct human significance in the coal sector. CIL subsidiaries acquire tens of thousands of hectares of land in the coalfields of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, West Bengal, and other states. The communities displaced — predominantly Adivasi and Dalit communities who have lived on this land for generations — have rights under the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 (LARR Act), the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA), and the Forest Rights Act, 2006.

RTI to the relevant CIL subsidiary can yield records that are critical for displaced communities seeking to understand and enforce their rights:

• The land acquisition notification (Section 19 or Section 21 declaration under the LARR Act, 2013, or earlier notifications under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 for older acquisitions) for land in village X
• The award passed by the Land Acquisition Collector detailing the compensation amount per plot and per family
• The R&R Scheme approved by the subsidiary for the displaced families of village X: the housing plots, agricultural land-in-lieu-of-land option, employment offers, community infrastructure to be provided, and timelines
• The number of project-affected families identified; the number that have been settled under the R&R scheme; the number whose R&R is still pending
• The Social Impact Assessment (SIA) conducted as required under the LARR Act for recent acquisitions
• Whether consent of the Gram Sabha was obtained as required under PESA for scheduled area land acquisitions

These records are administrative documents of a Central PSU exercising statutory compulsory acquisition powers. There is no valid basis for exemption under any Section 8 provision. The CIC has repeatedly directed CIL subsidiaries to provide land acquisition and R&R records to displaced community members and their representatives.

RTI is not a substitute for legal proceedings, but it is the first step: it creates the documentary record on which community members and their advocates can build challenges in the High Court or before the Land Acquisition Collector.

RTI Use Case 3: Mining Plan Approval at IBM

For coal mines other than CIL's (the growing number of commercial coal mines operated by private companies after the 2020 liberalisation, and non-CIL captive mines), IBM plays a role in approving mining plans and mine closure plans. For CIL mines, the mine plan approval process involves the Directorate General of Mines Safety (DGMS) as well and is submitted to MoCoal.

RTI to IBM can yield: the status of a mining plan or mine closure plan submitted by company for mine name at location; the date of submission; whether IBM has approved, conditionally approved, or rejected the plan; and the conditions attached to any approval.

Mine closure plans are particularly important for communities that live near abandoned or closing mines. They specify the closure methodology, the reclamation of disturbed land, the plugging of mine shafts, and post-closure monitoring obligations. RTI for the closure plan and IBM's assessment of it gives communities the documentary basis to hold operators accountable for completing closure obligations.

RTI Use Case 4: Employment and Recruitment at CIL Subsidiaries

CIL and its subsidiaries employ hundreds of thousands of workers — including mining sirdars, shot firers, underground and opencast mine workers, engineers, and administrative staff. Recruitment is conducted through the CIL Management Trainee recruitment (centralised) and through subsidiary-level recruitment for other posts.

RTI to the relevant CIL subsidiary can provide: the recruitment notification and eligibility criteria for a specific post; the number of applications received; the selection list or merit list; the waiting list and its current status; and the appointment letters issued or pending. If a candidate believes the selection process was conducted unfairly — or that a candidate with lower marks was selected over one with higher marks — RTI for the complete merit list and scoring is the essential first step.

These are administrative records of recruitment functions. No exemption under the RTI Act applies to them. The fact that the employer is a mining company does not change the ordinary analysis applicable to any Central PSU recruitment.

RTI Use Case 5: CSR Records and Community Development

CIL and its subsidiaries have substantial Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) obligations under the Companies Act, 2013. CSR expenditure covers areas such as education, health, drinking water, skill development, and infrastructure in communities near their mines. Given that CIL subsidiaries are among the largest Central PSUs, their CSR budgets run into hundreds of crores annually.

RTI to a CIL subsidiary for CSR records can provide: the list of CSR projects approved by the company's CSR Committee for financial year in district; the amount budgeted and actually spent on each project; the implementing agencies (whether the company itself, an NGO partner, or a local body); and the beneficiary communities. Where a community near a mine has been identified as a CSR beneficiary but has not seen promised infrastructure, RTI provides the documentary basis to compare what was approved and budgeted with what was actually delivered.

Section 8(1)(d) — commercial confidence — does not shield CSR records. CSR is a statutory obligation under the Companies Act; the projects funded are matters of public accountability, not private commercial information.

RTI Use Case 6: Environmental Compliance at Operating Mines

CIL subsidiaries operate open-cast and underground mines with significant environmental footprints. They are required to obtain environmental clearances (ECs) from MoEFCC, to comply with the conditions attached to those ECs, and to submit periodic compliance reports.

RTI can be used to access: the environmental clearance granted for an open-cast mine expansion at mine name, including the complete list of conditions; the compliance reports submitted by SECL/MCL/CCL for the mine name mine for the last three years; the reforestation/afforestation area completed as a condition of the EC; mine water treatment and discharge compliance data; the dust suppression measures implemented at the mine; and the status of progressive mine closure in exhausted benches.

This information is particularly relevant in areas like the Hasdeo Arand forests in Chhattisgarh, where coal mining proposals in ecologically sensitive areas have generated sustained public controversy. RTI for the EC conditions and compliance reports creates the factual record for environmental litigation and advocacy.

RTI Use Case 7: Coal Quality and Grade Disputes

CIL subsidiaries supply coal to power plants under Fuel Supply Agreements (FSAs). The grade (quality, as determined by calorific value and ash content) of coal dispatched under FSAs determines the price the power plant pays and the cost of electricity generated. Coal quality disputes — where a power plant claims it received lower-grade coal than contracted, or where the grading system has been manipulated — are among the most consequential commercial disputes in India's energy sector.

RTI to the relevant CIL subsidiary can provide: the sampling and grade certification report for coal dispatched from mine X to power plant Y during period; the sampling protocol followed; whether any grade dispute has been raised and, if so, the resolution; and the average calorific value of coal actually dispatched versus contracted. Power generation companies, independent researchers, and state electricity regulators have all used RTI in this area to verify whether coal supply quality meets contracted standards.

RTI Use Case 8: Royalty Payments to State Governments

CIL subsidiaries pay royalties to state governments on coal extracted from mines in those states, under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (MMDR Act). They also pay District Mineral Foundation (DMF) levies under the MMDR Amendment Act, 2015, which go into state-managed funds for the benefit of mining-affected communities.

RTI for royalty and DMF payment data involves a split between Central and State records. The CIL subsidiary's own accounts will show royalty and DMF amounts paid to the state — accessible via RTI to the subsidiary (CIC chain). The state Mineral Department's records of royalty received — and how DMF funds have been utilised at the district level — are state records, accessible via RTI to the State Government CPIO (State IC chain).

Communities living in mining areas who are entitled to benefit from DMF funds can use this dual RTI approach: confirming from the CIL subsidiary how much was paid into the DMF for their district, and then querying the district administration for how those funds have been utilised and which community development projects were funded.

Private Coal Mines After 2020 Liberalisation

The Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Act, 2015 permitted non-public sector companies to mine coal commercially. In 2020, Parliament further opened commercial coal mining to private companies in a liberalised framework. Private companies mining coal under commercial licences — including Adani Enterprises, Vedanta, and others — are private entities and are NOT subject to the RTI Act.

The government bodies that granted their licences and monitor their compliance — MoCoal, DGMS (for mine safety), MoEFCC (for environmental clearances), and IBM — hold records about these private operators. Citizens and communities affected by private coal mines can RTI the relevant government body for: the mining lease order granted; the environmental clearance and conditions; the mine safety inspection records maintained by DGMS; and the status of the mine development programme.

The principle is the same as for private airports or private petroleum operators: the private company is not RTI-able, but the government bodies that regulate it are, and their records about the private company are accessible through RTI.

Practical Guidance for Coal Sector RTI

File with the specific CIL subsidiary that holds the records — not with CIL's holding company. A displaced community in the CCL area files with the CPIO of Central Coalfields Limited at Ranchi. A community in the SECL area files with the CPIO of South Eastern Coalfields Limited at Bilaspur. Filing with CIL's corporate CPIO in Kolkata for area-specific records leads to transfer delay.

For land acquisition and R&R records, locate the specific Area office of the CIL subsidiary (each subsidiary operates through multiple Area offices, each managing a cluster of mines). The Area office is closer to where the records are actually held. The Section 6(3) transfer mechanism should route your application to the right authority even if you file at the headquarters, but filing directly at the Area office is faster.

For environmental records, consider parallel applications to both the CIL subsidiary (for the company-side compliance reports) and to MoEFCC's regional office or the State Pollution Control Board (for the regulatory-side inspection and monitoring records). Together, these create a complete picture of environmental compliance that neither application alone would provide.

Section 6(2) of the RTI Act expressly provides that applicants need not give any reason for their request. A community member, journalist, or researcher seeking coal sector records need not explain why they want the information.

Filing Your Coal Sector RTI Application

CIL, ECL, BCCL, CCL, NCL, WCL, SECL, MCL, NEC, CMPDIL, IBM, MoCoal, and MoMines are all Central Government public authorities or Central PSUs. RTI applications to all of them are filed at rtionline.gov.in. The ₹10 fee under the RTI (Regulation of Fee and Cost) Rules, 2005 applies; BPL cardholders are exempt. Information is free of charge if the CPIO misses the 30-day deadline under Section 7(5).

First Appeal under Section 19(1) of the RTI Act must be filed within 30 days of the date of decision or expiry of the response period, before the body's First Appellate Authority. Second Appeal under Section 19(3) goes to the Central Information Commission. A CPIO who wilfully refuses information that should have been disclosed may face a penalty under Section 20 of the RTI Act — ₹250 per day up to a maximum of ₹25,000.

For state mineral department records (royalties, DMF, minor mineral licences), RTI goes to the respective State Government CPIO, and Second Appeal lies with the relevant State Information Commission.

Mining-affected communities in India have often found that the law on paper and the reality on the ground are starkly different — promised R&R packages not delivered, environmental conditions not met, royalties paid but DMF funds not utilised. RTI is the most direct legal tool available to close that gap, one document at a time.

CIL and all its subsidiaries, IBM, MoCoal, and MoMines are Central Government public authorities. RTI applications are filed at rtionline.gov.in, with the Central Information Commission (CIC) as the second appeal authority. If you are preparing an RTI application about coal mine land acquisition, R&R, environmental compliance, or coal block allocation, RTISathi.com provides guides and sample formats for Central Government RTI applications.