A government web application that matches exhausted coal pits with solar farms, eco-parks and community livelihoods has earned national recognition as India scales scientific mine closure.

The Coal Controller’s Organisation (CCO), the regulatory arm of India’s Ministry of Coal, has received the SKOCH Gold Award 2026 for SUVIKALP, an in-house digital platform that guides the transparent, data-driven repurposing of closed and exhausted coal mines. The award, conferred in the Digital Operational Efficiency – Data Driven Decision Making category, recognises a tool that turns former mining voids into sites for renewable energy, agriculture, tourism, biodiversity restoration and local employment.

Union Minister for Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy congratulated the organisation, describing SUVIKALP as a significant step towards a just transition for mining regions. The platform, he noted, unlocks new possibilities for mined-out land through environmental restoration, sustainable economic opportunities and improved community well-being.

What SUVIKALP Does

SUVIKALP (a Hindi-derived name roughly meaning “good alternative” or “better option”) is a free web-based decision-support system. Users input site-specific details across 16 factors: mine type (opencast or underground), size, slope, water availability, proximity to roads, railways or ports, climate zone, budget constraints and environmental conditions. The tool then generates a ranked list of technically feasible repurposing options.

In a second stage, communities or planners set priorities using the RECLAIM framework – weighting jobs, tourism, ecology or infrastructure. Advanced multi-criteria analysis (AHP consistency checks and TOPSIS scoring) produces a final ranking that balances technical suitability with local needs. Results can be downloaded as spreadsheets for further planning.

Available options range from floating solar and pumped-hydro storage to agroforestry, aquaculture, botanical gardens, wildlife sanctuaries, data centres, sports complexes, adventure tourism and underground parks. Case studies and expert contacts are linked for each pathway.

From Regulatory Obligation to National Mission

India is the world’s second-largest coal producer. While production continues to rise in high-output mines, hundreds of older or uneconomic pits are reaching the end of their lives. Official figures show 339 coal and lignite mines under a structured closure programme valued at more than ₹36,000 crore (approximately $4.3 billion). Of this, roughly ₹9,240 crore has been ring-fenced for community development and livelihood activities.

Revised Mine Closure Guidelines issued in 2025 require that 25 per cent of annual closure costs support community and livelihood measures, while 10 per cent of escrow funds is earmarked for “just transformation.” Progressive closure, financial assurance through escrow accounts, independent monitoring and post-closure surveillance are now mandatory. District Collector-led Mine Closure Advisory Committees oversee implementation on the ground.

SUVIKALP sits at the centre of this ecosystem alongside the RECLAIM community-participation framework and the A.R.T.H.A. planning tools developed by the CCO. Together they shift mine closure from a narrow environmental compliance exercise into a planned, people-centred process of ecological regeneration and economic diversification.

International Relevance of a Just Transition Tool

Coal-dependent regions worldwide face similar dilemmas: how to close mines without stranding workers, communities and landscapes. India’s approach – digital matching of site characteristics with diversified post-mining uses, mandatory community funding shares, and transparent ranking – offers a practical model that other coal-reliant economies can adapt.

The platform’s emphasis on multi-criteria decision-making and community priority weighting aligns with international principles of procedural and distributive justice in energy transitions. By making technical feasibility and social preferences visible side by side, it reduces the risk that closure plans remain purely technocratic.

Recognition and Next Steps

The SKOCH Gold Award, one of India’s longest-running independent honours for governance and digital innovation, follows a multi-stage evaluation involving documentation, public voting and expert jury assessment. CCO officers briefed the coal minister after receiving the award, underscoring the organisation’s commitment to scientific land reclamation and a greener future for mining districts.

The tool is already live on the Coal Controller’s website. Weekly “Suvikalp Samvad” webinars train stakeholders in its use. Parallel efforts include large-scale Miyawaki plantations on overburden dumps and pilot projects converting former pits into solar farms or eco-parks.

As India targets scientific closure of around 147 mines in the near term while maintaining energy security, tools such as SUVIKALP will determine whether mined-out landscapes become liabilities or assets. For observers tracking just transitions, the platform provides a concrete, scalable example of how data, community voice and regulatory design can be combined to turn the end of mining into the beginning of something more sustainable.