Current Affairs

Coal Controller's Organisation (CCO) wins SKOCH Gold Award 2026 for 'SUVIKALP' mine-repurposing tool (26 Sept)

21-10-2026 · English

Coal Controller's Organisation (CCO) wins SKOCH Gold Award 2026 for 'SUVIKALP' mine-repurposing tool (26 Sept)

Topics: Awards · 21 October 2026 Current Affairs (UPSC / TNPSC / SSC / RRB)

News

The Coal Controller's Organisation (CCO) under the Ministry of Coal received the SKOCH Gold Award 2026 on 26 Sept 2026 for its 'SUVIKALP – Mine Repurposing Tool' (category: Digital Operational Efficiency – Data Driven Decision Making). SUVIKALP is an in-house digital tool developed by the CCO that ranks options for reusing mined-out land on technical, environmental, social and economic criteria. Its component PRISM (Post-Mining Repurposing Implementation Strategy Model) provides project concepts and case studies.

Key facts

AwardSKOCH Gold Award 2026 – 26 Sept 2026
SUVIKALPDigital tool ranking reuse options for closed-mine land; PRISM model; 'SUVIKALP Samvaad' – 12 webinars
CCOSubordinate office of the Ministry of Coal; head office – 1, Council House Street, Kolkata
Field officesDhanbad, Ranchi, Bilaspur, Nagpur, Sambalpur, Kothagudem (+ Delhi office)
FunctionsStatistical authority for coal & lignite; checks coal grade/size; hears objections under the Coal Bearing Areas Act 1957
SKOCHIndependent (non-government) award given since 2003

Background

  • Coal nationalisation: coking coal mines in 1971–72; non-coking mines under the Coal Mines (Nationalisation) Act, 1973. Coal India Ltd was formed in November 1975; HQ Kolkata.
  • Coal ranks (falling carbon): anthracite > bituminous > sub-bituminous > lignite (brown coal) > peat. Most Indian coal is Gondwana (Damodar, Mahanadi, Godavari valleys); Tertiary coal – North-Eastern States.
  • Environment: mine-closure plans and financial assurance make restoration a mandatory part of mining; closed-mine land can be reused for solar parks, reservoirs, afforestation, tourism, etc.

Tamil Nadu link: lignite at Neyveli was discovered in 1934 while a well was being dug on T.M. Jambulingam Mudaliar's land. NLC India, under the Ministry of Coal, was formed in 1956; HQ Neyveli (Cuddalore district). Its first thermal power unit was synchronised in May 1962.

Source: GKToday, IASPoint (21 Oct 2026); Ministry of Coal Annual Report 2023–24; NITI Aayog ICEMF; PMF IAS (UPSC 2022 question)

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