SECL’s Pelma mine under MDO (Mine Developer and Operator) mode

Indian Economic System(CSC) Industry

Context: SECL’s Pelma mine will become the first opencast mine in Chhattisgarh under MDO (Mine Developer and Operator) mode.

South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL) has signed an agreement with Pelma Collieries to operate Pelma opencast mine located in Raigarh area.
Pelma Collieries will operate the mine for the next 20 years, under which Pelma Collieries will be responsible for all activities related to designing, financing, procurement, construction, operation and maintenance of the project.
High quality G-12 grade coal will be extracted from the mine.
Ketki UG of Bishrampur area has achieved the distinction of becoming the first coal mine in India to produce coal on MDO mode.
SECL Raigarh area is a strategically important coalfield in terms of coal reserve, it is the third largest coalfield in the country with an estimated coal reserve of about 1900 million tonnes.
Rail corridor is also being developed in this area by SECL for speedy evacuation of coal.

MDO mode is a novel concept of mine operation under which Government and private enterprises will work together to fulfil the country's energy needs.
This will help in expansion of coal production of SECL and will play an important role in achieving the 1 billion tonne production target of Coal India.

It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Coal India Limited - One of the largest government owned coal producer in the world. SECL is one of the highest coal producing companies of India. The coal mines of SECL are spread across two states namely Chhatisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.
SECL operates 67 coal mines , of which 41 coal mines lies in Chhatisgarh State, while rest 26 coal mines are situated in Madhya Pradesh state. And of these 67 nos of coal mines ,46 mines are worked by underground method of mining while rest 21 no of mines are Opencast mines.
Along with this, SECL is committed towards operational aspect of coal carbonization plant of Dankuni coal complex however, Dankuni coal Complex at Dankuni,West Bengal has been given on lease basis by CIL.
For effective administrative control and operation, coal mines at SECL has been divided into three groups viz Central India coalfields (CIC), Korba coalfields and Mand Raigarh Coalfields.