The Ministry of Coal has introduced SUVIKALP, a digital decision-support platform that helps mine owners and government agencies decide how closed and abandoned coal and lignite mines should be put to new use. Developed by the Coal Controller Organisation (CCO), the tool is aligned with the Mining Plan Guidelines for Coal and Lignite Mine, 2025, according to a Press Information Bureau release on 3 November 2026.
The ministry says mine closure does not end its responsibility towards a mining region. SUVIKALP is meant to replace fragmented, one-off assessments with a single scientific and transparent framework for choosing post-mining land uses, adding to a run of digital reforms in the sector such as Coal India’s AI-based satellite monitoring of mines with ISRO’s NRSC.
How the SUVIKALP mine repurposing tool works
Users build a site profile by entering mine-specific details. The platform then weighs geo-mining characteristics, environmental conditions, infrastructure, resource constraints, finances and socio-economic factors together, instead of assessing each parameter separately.
- It ranks repurposing options with a multi-criteria decision-making method called TOPSIS (Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution).
- The assessment runs in a fixed sequence: factor selection, generation of options, community priorities, suitability assessment and final ranking.
- Recommendations are based on site-specific conditions rather than subjective judgement, so mine owners, project proponents and agencies can compare options on the same terms.
Community priorities through RECLAIM
SUVIKALP includes RECLAIM, a community engagement and development framework that brings the preferences of people living in mining regions into the evaluation. Local needs such as jobs, livelihoods and infrastructure are considered alongside technical feasibility, environmental suitability and economics, giving post-mining planning a participatory element.
From ranking to implementation with PRISM
The platform goes beyond ranking projects through PRISM, the Post-Mining Repurposing Implementation Strategic Model. PRISM sets out implementation pathways covering project vision, repurposing strategy, investment, structuring and monitoring. It is backed by a knowledge repository of concept notes, national and international case studies, sample tender documents, lists of implementation agencies and best-practice material.
What comes next for SUVIKALP
The ministry plans to widen use of the tool across closed and abandoned coal and lignite mines and turn its recommendations into site-specific feasibility studies, concept notes and detailed project reports. Other priorities include better coordination between government, industry and experts, funding and partnerships for viable projects, capacity building, and monitoring of environmental, economic and community benefits. The long-term aim is a national knowledge and decision-support ecosystem for mine repurposing.
The launch continues the ministry’s move to online systems, from the Mine Opening Permission module to its earlier Sustainable Development Cell for mining regions. More details on the sector are available from the Ministry of Coal.
Key takeaways
- SUVIKALP is a Ministry of Coal platform, built by the Coal Controller Organisation, for planning the reuse of closed coal and lignite mines.
- It ranks land-use options with the TOPSIS multi-criteria method and folds in community priorities through RECLAIM.
- Its PRISM module and knowledge repository guide projects from selection to implementation.
FAQ
What is SUVIKALP?
SUVIKALP is a digital decision-support tool from the Ministry of Coal that identifies and ranks suitable post-mining land uses for closed and abandoned coal and lignite mines.
Who developed the SUVIKALP tool?
The Coal Controller Organisation, which works under the Ministry of Coal, developed it in line with the Mining Plan Guidelines for Coal and Lignite Mine, 2025.
Who can use SUVIKALP?
Mine owners, project proponents and government agencies can use it to assess and compare repurposing options for specific mine sites.
Featured image: Shovel and dumpers at work at NCL’s Dudhichua opencast coal mine in Singrauli, Madhya Pradesh. Photo: Kuber Patel (Rosehubwiki) / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)