UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Ministry of Coal Releases 'AAROH': India's First Report on Scientific Mine Closure and Repurposing Practices
Q1. The AAROH report synthesises several dedicated frameworks and tools developed by the Ministry of Coal for scientific mine closure and repurposing. Consider the following:
1. RECLAIM — a framework for community engagement and development in the closure and post-closure phases
2. L.I.V.E.S. — a framework for repurposing of mined-out land and ecosystem rehabilitation
3. SUVIKALP — an interactive decision-support tool for selecting suitable repurposing projects
4. SHAKTI — a framework for scientific closure and just transition of coal mines
Which of the above is/are NOT correctly identified as a mine closure/repurposing framework or tool?
- RECLAIM — a framework for community engagement and development in the closure and post-closure phases
- L.I.V.E.S. — a framework for repurposing of mined-out land and ecosystem rehabilitation
- SUVIKALP — an interactive decision-support tool for selecting suitable repurposing projects
- SHAKTI — a framework for scientific closure and just transition of coal mines
- A. 1 and 2
- B. 2 and 3
- C. 1 and 4
- D. 4 only
Q2. AAROH, India's first report documenting scientific mine closure and repurposing practices, was compiled and developed by which body functioning under the Ministry of Coal?
- A. Central Mine Planning and Design Institute Limited (CMPDIL), a subsidiary of Coal India Limited
- B. Coal Controller Organisation, a subordinate office of the Ministry of Coal
- C. Coal India Limited, the Maharatna public sector undertaking under the Ministry of Coal
- D. Sustainable Development Cell of Coal India Limited
Q3. With reference to the evolution of the Ministry of Coal's Mine Closure Guidelines and related instruments, consider the following:
1. The first Mine Closure Guidelines were issued in 2009.
2. The Guidelines were subsequently revised in 2013 and again in 2020.
3. A dedicated Mine Closure Portal to monitor closure activities, timelines and expenditure was launched in 2024.
4. A dedicated Mine Closure Portal to monitor closure activities was launched in 2019.
Which of the above is/are NOT correct?
- The first Mine Closure Guidelines were issued in 2009.
- The Guidelines were subsequently revised in 2013 and again in 2020.
- A dedicated Mine Closure Portal to monitor closure activities, timelines and expenditure was launched in 2024.
- A dedicated Mine Closure Portal to monitor closure activities was launched in 2019.
- A. 1 and 2
- B. 2 and 3
- C. 4 only
- D. 3 and 4
Q4. In which year did the Ministry of Coal revise its mine closure norms to make it mandatory to engage mining-dependent communities to 'envision and co-create' sustainable post-closure solutions?
- A. 2020
- B. 2022
- C. 2024
- D. 2025
Q5. The RECLAIM community engagement and development framework for mine closure was developed by the Coal Controller Organisation in partnership with which of the following?
- A. Heartfulness Institute
- B. Central Mine Planning and Design Institute Limited
- C. The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI)
- D. National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj
Q6. The SUVIKALP interactive online decision-support tool, which recommends suitable mine repurposing projects by analysing geographical, economic, climatic and socio-economic inputs, was introduced under which framework of the Ministry of Coal?
- A. the RECLAIM community engagement framework
- B. the L.I.V.E.S. framework for land repurposing and ecosystem restoration
- C. the Mine Closure Portal monitoring framework
- D. the Star Rating framework for coal and lignite mines
Q7. The India–Germany Implementation Agreement on scientific mine closure, being carried out by GIZ, is commissioned by which German entity?
- A. the Federal Foreign Office (Auswärtiges Amt)
- B. the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK)
- C. the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and it is co-financed by the European Union
- D. the KfW Development Bank
Q8. The Ministry of Coal's 2026 Implementation Agreement with Germany for developing a scientific mine closure framework is operationalised by which German development agency?
- A. GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit)
- B. KfW Development Bank
- C. DEG — Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft
- D. GTZ — Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit
Q9. Under the Revised Jharia Master Plan, which body is the designated lead authority for the rehabilitation of families living outside the operational/leasehold areas of Bharat Coking Coal Limited?
- A. Bharat Coking Coal Limited, which alone handles the rehabilitation of all endangered families in the entire Jharia coalfield
- B. Jharia Rehabilitation and Development Authority (JRDA)
- C. Central Mine Planning and Design Institute Limited
- D. Coal India Limited's Sustainable Development Cell
Q10. Consider the following statements comparing the Revised Jharia Master Plan with earlier arrangements:
1. The Revised Jharia Master Plan received Cabinet approval in 2009.
2. Under the revised plan, JRDA rehabilitates non-BCCL families from endangered areas while BCCL rehabilitates families within its operational areas.
3. Sustained efforts under the Jharia Master Plan brought the number of identified surface fire sites down from 77 to 27.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- The Revised Jharia Master Plan received Cabinet approval in 2009.
- Under the revised plan, JRDA rehabilitates non-BCCL families from endangered areas while BCCL rehabilitates families within its operational areas.
- Sustained efforts under the Jharia Master Plan brought the number of identified surface fire sites down from 77 to 27.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 1 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q11. In the context of the Ministry of Coal's recent initiatives, 'Coal NEER' refers to:
- A. an initiative by Coal India subsidiaries to treat discharged mine water into drinking-quality water using RO, UV and capacitive deionisation technologies
- B. a scheme to supply untreated mine water for cooling of pithead thermal power plants in coalfield areas
- C. a fund created from mine closure corpus to finance rainwater harvesting structures around abandoned mines
- D. a programme to channel treated coal-washery effluent exclusively for irrigation of reclaimed mine land
Q12. Which is the principal statutory instrument under which the Coal Controller Organisation regulates the classification, categorisation and grading of coal mined in India?
- A. the Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Act, 2015
- B. the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957
- C. the Coal Mines (Nationalisation) Act, 1973
- D. the Colliery Control Rules, 2004