“In spite of adverse environmental impact, coal mining is still inevitable for development.” Discuss.
Approach · directive: “discuss”
What it asks · Weigh coal's role in energy, industry and livelihoods against its ecological and social costs, and say how far the dependence can be reduced.
It asks 3 things — answer each
- Discuss why coal remains necessary for development: base-load power, domestic abundance, core industry and regional economy
- Discuss the adverse environmental and social impact of coal mining
- Reach a view: how the dependence can be managed and gradually reduced
Open with · India relies on coal for about 55% of its energy mix and for around 74% of its electricity (Ministry of Coal, 2025); the issue is how to mine it with less damage.
Cover
- Base-load power: coal plants run round the clock while solar and wind still need storage to firm supply.
- Domestic abundance: output crossed one billion tonnes in 2024-25, cutting import dependence.
- Core industry: steel, cement and fertilisers need coal and coke as fuel and raw material.
- Regional economy: Damodar valley fields, Jharia the largest, sustain jobs, royalties and district mineral funds.
- Environmental cost: forest clearing, fires and subsidence at Jharia, acid mine drainage, fly ash, dust and carbon emissions.
- Social cost: displacement of tribal communities, with Forest Rights Act and PESA consent often weakly applied.
- Way forward: washing, supercritical plants, gasification, binding mine-closure plans and a just transition for coal districts.
Close with · Coal is inevitable for this phase of growth, not forever: each tonne mined today must also pay for restored land and new livelihoods.
Add value (verified)
- Coal meets about 55% of India's energy mix and generates around 74% of its electricity.One Billion Tonne: Strengthening India's Energy Future! - PIB (Ministry of Coal) ↗“India relies on coal for approximately 55% of its energy mix, and around 74% of the country’s electricity is generated by coal-based power plants.”
- India's coal production crossed one billion tonnes in 2024-25, at 1,047.57 MT provisional against 997.83 MT in 2023-24.India's Coal Sector has Crossed the One Billion Tonne Milestone - PIB (Ministry of Coal) ↗“reaching1047.57 (Provisional), compared to 997.83 MT in FY 2023-24, recording a substantial growth of 4.99%”
Question: UPSC's CS (Main) 2017, GS Paper I — paper ↗. Approach: Minimalist IAS, checked 16 Oct 2026 (how we verify) — UPSC publishes no model answers. ·
Model answer· 218words · Minimalist IAS
India relies on coal for about 55% of its energy mix, and around 74% of its electricity comes from coal-based plants (Ministry of Coal, 2025). The real question is how to mine it with less harm.
Why coal is still inevitable
- Base-load power: coal plants run round the clock, while solar and wind still need storage to firm up supply.
- Domestic abundance: output crossed one billion tonnes in 2024-25 (1,047.57 million tonnes, provisional), cutting costly imports.
- Core industry: steel, cement and fertilisers need coal and coke as fuel and raw material.
- Regional economy: the Damodar valley fields, with Jharia the largest, sustain jobs, royalties and district mineral funds.
The adverse impact
| Impact | Example |
|---|---|
| Land and forest | Open-cast pits clearing forests |
| Fire and subsidence | Underground fires at Jharia |
| Water, air, climate | Acid drainage, fly ash, carbon dioxide |
- Social cost: displacement of tribal communities, with consent under the Forest Rights Act and PESA often weakly applied.
Way forward
- Cleaner use: coal washing, supercritical plants and coal gasification cut emissions per unit of power.
- Restoration: binding mine-closure plans, backfilling and afforestation of worked-out land.
- Just transition: reskilling and new livelihoods for coal districts as renewables and storage grow.
Coal is inevitable for this phase of growth, not forever: each tonne mined today must also pay for restored land and new livelihoods.
Prepared by Minimalist IAS to the answer standard of Shivam Singh (mentor, 7 years) · facts checked against official sources (how we verify) · updated 16 Oct 2026. UPSC publishes no model answers: compare your structure and coverage with this, then write your own.
