India's transition away from coal is not expected to happen in the foreseeable future, as revealed by Coal and Mines Minister Pralhad Joshi in Parliament on Monday. Despite the country's push towards renewable and non-fossil-based energy sources, the minister emphasized that coal will continue to play a significant role in the energy mix to ensure affordable and accessible energy.

Addressing a query in the Rajya Sabha, Joshi highlighted that while some coal mines might cease operations due to the depletion of reserves, India is simultaneously operationalizing numerous new coal blocks to meet the escalating energy demand. These active mines are not only ensuring energy security and affordability but are also creating fresh employment opportunities while facilitating the transition of workers from closing mines to new ones, thereby improving livelihoods and generating indirect job prospects in coal-rich areas.

Furthermore, the minister mentioned the World Bank's involvement in a technical assistance project. The initiative aims to study closed, abandoned, and future-to-be-closed mines affected by resource exhaustion. It focuses on geo-spatial mapping of these areas to better understand the impacts and implications of such closures.