APMDC to mine 5 MTPA of coal from Suliyari block in M.P.

Steps taken for rehabilitation of 1,250 families facing displacement, says Minister

G. Shamim Aslam took charge as the Chairperson of Andhra Pradesh Mineral Development Corporation in Vijayawada on Monday.

The Andhra Pradesh Mineral Development Corporation (APMDC) has set the stage for production of 5 million tonnes (MT) of coal per annum from the Suliyari block in Singrauli district of Madhya Pradesh.

The APMDC officials performed ‘bhoomi puja’ there on Monday for the commencement of mining this week, according to a press release by Minister for Panchayat Raj and Mines Peddireddi Ramachandra Reddy.

He said the coal production would begin in a month and there was a scope for extracting 107 MT coal from the site of 1,298 hectares over 22 years. A sum of ₹2,000 crore is being invested in the project and steps have been taken for relief and rehabilitation of 1,250 families who are facing displacement.

“It has been decided that 25% of the coal produced there should be reserved for the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs),” the Minister said.

Revenue

Mr. Ramachandra Reddy said the government was eyeing a five-fold increase in the APMDC’s revenue from mines in the near future, for which advanced technologies were being adopted and other necessary measures taken.

The APMDC is also looking to explore barytes mining opportunities in India and abroad on a larger scale to expand its portfolio. It has already bagged major contracts for coal mining at Madanpur south block in Chhattisgarh and Brahamadiha block in Jharkhand. Production would begin in those blocks this year, he said.

Besides, the APMDC has turned its attention to mining silica sand and calcite.

Meanwhile, G. Shamim Aslam took charge as the chairperson of the APMDC at its headquarters in the city on Monday. She thanked the Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy for giving her the repsonsibilities in the mining corporation and promised to do her best to strengthen it. APMDC Joint Director D. Srinivasa Rao, company secretary R. Mani Kiran, General Managers Lakshman Rao (coal) and S.V.C. Bose (marketing), OSD to Vice-Chairman and Managing Director Venkata Sai and DGMs Nathaniel (geology) and Sambhu Prasad (civil) were present on the occasion.