The Ministry of Coal has released AAROH: Annual Report on Mine Closure, the country's first report documenting scientific mine closure and post-mining land use. The ministry also signed an implementation agreement with Germany's Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) to support technical cooperation on mine closure and rehabilitation.

The report documents the closure of 42 coal mines and outlines measures adopted for land reclamation, ecological restoration and post-mining land use. Prepared by the Coal Controller Organisation, it includes details of restoration work carried out at each site along with visual records of the changes made after mining operations ended.

The agreement with GIZ covers technical cooperation on mines scheduled for closure over the next four years. Commissioned by Germany's Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and co-financed by the European Union, the project has a budget of €10 million through 2030. It will focus on knowledge exchange, technical capacity building and mine rehabilitation practices.

The ministry also launched Coal NEER plants through Coal India Limited subsidiaries, including Bharat Coking Coal Limited, Central Coalfields Limited, Mahanadi Coalfields Limited and South Eastern Coalfields Limited. The facilities treat mine discharge water and supply it as bottled drinking water for nearby communities using filtration technologies such as reverse osmosis and ultraviolet treatment.

Separate tripartite agreements were signed by Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL) and the Jharia Rehabilitation and Development Authority with Hindalco Industries and Rajdhani Universal Fabrics. The projects include setting up a skill development centre and a technical textile manufacturing facility to support employment opportunities for people in the Jharia coalfield region.

According to the ministry, India has scientifically closed 42 coal mines, including 33 during the past year, and plans to close 147 more mines over the next two to three years. The government has also allocated 25% of approved mine closure costs for community development and established a fund of about ₹40,000 crore for scientific and progressive mine closure activities.

The report also outlines the evolution of India's mine closure framework and documents approaches adopted for restoring closed mine sites and identifying future uses for reclaimed land. The ministry said the publication is intended to serve as a reference for future mine closure and rehabilitation projects.