Union Coal and Mines Minister G. Kishan Reddy on Thursday, June 18, 2026, participated live in a roadshow held in Mumbai to promote Surface Coal and Lignite Gasification — a technology the Ministry of Coal is actively pushing to convert domestic coal and lignite reserves into syngas for use in chemicals, fertilisers, and power generation.

Context

The roadshow, broadcast live on the Ministry's official channel, was aimed at attracting investors and industry stakeholders to the coal gasification programme. Mumbai, as India's financial capital, was chosen as the venue to maximise engagement with energy investors, chemical industry players, and project financiers. The event represents a direct outreach effort by the ministry to build commercial momentum behind a technology that has so far seen limited private-sector uptake.

Policy Backdrop

The Ministry of Coal had, as far back as 2020, set an ambitious target of gasifying 100 million tonnes of coal by 2030 as part of a broader strategy to reduce India's dependence on imported natural gas and petrochemicals. Viability gap funding and pilot project frameworks for surface coal gasification were outlined in the early 2020s to make the coal-to-chemicals route commercially viable. The government has consistently framed coal gasification as a way to monetise vast domestic reserves — particularly lignite deposits — while remaining aligned with gradual energy-transition objectives.

Surface gasification differs from underground coal gasification in that it processes coal above ground in dedicated reactors, producing syngas that can substitute for natural gas in fertiliser manufacturing, methanol production, and power plants. The approach reduces the need for imported liquefied natural gas and naphtha, offering both energy security and import-substitution benefits.

Stakeholders and Impact

The primary beneficiaries of a successful coal gasification scale-up would include fertiliser manufacturers, who currently rely heavily on imported gas as feedstock, and chemical industry players seeking domestic syngas supply chains. Coal miners and state-owned mining companies stand to gain from expanded demand for lower-grade coal and lignite that is otherwise uneconomical to burn directly in power plants. Energy investors and project developers are the audience the roadshow most directly targets, as large-scale gasification plants require significant upfront capital and long-term offtake assurances.

The initiative also sits within the broader coal-sector reform agenda that includes commercial mining auctions opened to private players — reforms that have collectively sought to restructure India's coal economy beyond conventional thermal power use.

What's Next

The immediate watch-points following the Mumbai roadshow will be any investor commitment announcements, expressions of interest for gasification plant tenders, and potential viability-gap funding allocations in upcoming Coal Ministry budget cycles or policy notifications. If the roadshow succeeds in drawing concrete project proposals, the ministry is expected to fast-track approvals through its existing pilot-project framework. The pace of follow-through will be a key indicator of whether India's coal gasification ambitions translate from policy documents into operational plants before the 2030 target window narrows further.