According to the Union minister Nitin Gadkari, those coal mines in Maharashtra’s Vidarbha region and WCL areas which are economically not viable, generate low-quality coal, and where mining is almost stopped can be used for coal gasification projects.

While addressing a session on 'coal gasification' at the Advantage Vidarbha event in Nagpur city which was attended by coal secretary Amritlal Meena, Niti Aayog member VK Saraswat and Coal India Limited (CIL) chairman PM Prasad among others. During his speech, the Minister for Road Transport and Highways asked the CIL and the Coal Ministry whether "coal mines which are economically not viable and those with low-quality coal and where mining is almost stopped in Vidarbha and Western Coal Fields (WCL) areas" could be used for coal gasification projects.

He also said for the use of non-viable coal blocks and low-quality ones under WCL areas for coal gasification. The Union minister backed public-private collaborations in coal gasification projects, coal extractions and power projects on coal pitheads. Beginning that the shortage of ammonium nitrate is also affecting the mining industry, Gadkari focused the need for the production of ammonium nitrate on a large scale.

He said nano urea introduced by the Centre should be used instead of extracting the urea from coal. Gadkari reiterated the need for alternative fuel and biofuel for the country’s future. "Not only methanol but 300 other by-products can also be produced from coal gasification which will cut the fuel import. This a great opportunity to set up the methanol economy in the country," he said.

Gadkari mentioned that coal is available in huge quantities in Yavatmal, Chandrapur, and Nagpur districts in the Vidarbha region besides in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh where WCL is working. "These platforms can certainly help in increasing employment in this (WCL) region. Advantage Vidarbha is working towards this goal," he added.