Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis participated in a live roadshow in Mumbai on Thursday, 18 June 2026, aimed at promoting surface coal and lignite gasification technology in the state. The event, which began at 5:07 pm IST, was co-attended by BJP leader G. Kishan Reddy and was broadcast live on social media.

Context

The roadshow brings together state and central stakeholders to spotlight surface coal gasification — a process that converts coal or lignite directly at or near the surface into syngas, bypassing the need for underground mining infrastructure. Maharashtra, with its substantial industrial base and coal-linked power sector, is a key target state for such technology outreach. The event in Mumbai signals an active push to attract investment and industry interest in the technology.

CM Fadnavis shared the event live on his official X account, tagging G. Kishan Reddy (@kishanreddybjp) and using hashtags including #EnergyInnovation, indicating the political and policy weight attached to the occasion.

Policy Backdrop

India's interest in coal gasification is not new. In 2020, the Ministry of Coal announced a target to gasify 100 million tonnes of coal by 2030, framing it as a route to diversify domestic coal use and reduce dependence on imported petrochemicals and fertiliser feedstock. The National Coal Gasification Mission, outlined in 2021-22, identified pilot projects for surface gasification technology across coal-bearing states.

Surface gasification, distinct from underground coal gasification, involves established reactor-based conversion of coal or lignite into syngas — a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide — which can then be used for power generation, chemical production, or fertiliser manufacturing. The approach is seen as a bridge technology that leverages India's large domestic coal reserves while working toward cleaner energy outcomes.

Stakeholders and Impact

The coal industry and the power sector are the primary stakeholders in any gasification scale-up. For Maharashtra, which hosts significant thermal power capacity and industrial clusters, adoption of gasification technology could open new supply chains for syngas-based chemicals and reduce the state's import bill for feedstocks.

Roadshows of this nature are typically designed to connect technology providers, state utilities, private investors, and central government agencies. The presence of both a state chief minister and a senior BJP figure with a background in resources policy underscores the dual state-centre coordination that large energy transitions in India require.

What's Next

The immediate focus will be on whether the Mumbai roadshow translates into concrete commitments — such as memoranda of understanding with technology partners, pilot project announcements, or state-level policy incentives for gasification investments. The rollout status of the pilot projects outlined under the National Coal Gasification Mission will be a key benchmark against which any fresh announcements from this event will be measured. Maharashtra's participation could also set a template for other coal-linked states to engage with the central mission framework.