Ongoing Project

Transition of coal mine communities towards sustainable lives and livelihoods (Trans-Mine) Phase II

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Transition of coal mine communities towards sustainable lives and livelihoods (Trans-Mine) Phase II

Coal has powered India’s growth for decades, providing jobs and energy security. But as the country moves towards its net-zero commitments, many coal mines are closing or lying abandoned, leaving behind vast stretches of degraded land and millions of people whose lives depend on this sector. Across India, more than 5 million people are directly or indirectly impacted by mine closures. For these families, the loss of coal is not just about energy; it is about income, food, education, and dignity.

International experience shows that abandoned mines can be turned into spaces of hope. Renewable energy parks in Germany, eco-tourism hubs in Australia, vineyards in the USA. In India, however, repurposing has so far remained limited, often focusing only on restoring land and biodiversity, with little attention to the communities who have lived and worked around mines for generations.

In Phase 1 of this project, ACPET, with HSBC’s support, piloted two people-centric interventions at the discontinued Rajhara mine in Jharkhand: a solar-powered water irrigation system and a farmer producer organization (FPO). Both interventions showed early promise in improving livelihoods and rebuilding trust in transitions.

Phase 2 builds on this learning to take the work to scale and into policy.

Outreach

Objectives

The objective of the project is to study, develop and demonstrate approaches to facilitate smooth transitioning of mining communities towards sustainable lives and livelihoods.

To carry out a comprehensive impact evaluation of the Rajhara pilots, ensuring evidence of how transitions affect people’s lives.

To create national frameworks that look at mine repurposing holistically - from finance to environment, from social safeguards to security.

To design and pilot a GIS-based decision support system that allows policymakers and communities to explore repurposing pathways.

To embed the principle of a just and people-centric transition into India’s mine closure and repurposing agenda.

Methodology

The project combines rigorous research with deep community engagement. Our approach includes:
A scoping review of successful mine repurposing models worldwide to identify what India can adapt.
A full-scale field evaluation in Rajhara using household surveys, focus groups, and key informant interviews to capture community voices alongside quantitative data.
Use of data science and machine learning to analyse socio-economic and environmental outcomes.
Development of a National Mine Repurposing Framework that is practical, inclusive, and scalable.
Creation of an interactive GIS-based tool to visualize potential pathways for mine rehabilitation and make them accessible to decision-makers and local communities alike. • Workshops and roadshows with the Ministry of Coal, Coal India Limited, and state governments to ensure that findings travel directly into practice and policy.

Stakeholders

Communities living around discontinued mines; especially marginalized groups (OBC, SC, ST households) whose livelihoods are most at risk.

Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) and Water User Groups (WUGs).

Coal India Limited and its subsidiaries.

Ministry of Coal, NITI Aayog, and state governments.

Policymakers, financial institutions, and civil society groups working on just transitions.

Project Site

Rajhara, Palamu district, Jharkhand - the heart of field research and evaluations.
New Delhi - the centre for policy engagement and knowledge sharing.