Coal India to layoff over 70,000 workers; Who all are at risk?

Coal India, an Indian coal mining company under the ownership of the Ministry of Coal of the Government of India, is set to lay off more than 70,000 workers by 2050. Many workers are at risk, according to a report released by the Global Energy Monitor.

The coal industry in India can fire nearly 100 workers per day by 2035 because the country is adopting cleaner energy sources. The coal industry provides jobs to workers in rural areas in developing countries. Layoffs can impact poor and vulnerable families in rural areas in India.

Who all are at risk?

The layoffs can impact workers in rural areas. Coal India will lay off 73,800 by the mid-century. The workers in rural areas will bear the brunt of the coal-mine closures.

India currently has 3,37,400 miners at its operating mines. State-owned Coal India had more than 239,000 employees during the financial year 2023. They worked for coal mining projects. These employees are at risk and can lose their job by 2050.

It is important to note that Coal India had 310,000 employees in 2017. Over the last six years, many employees were laid off. 

Global Energy Monitor report

According to the Global Energy Monitor report, nearly 27 lakh coal miners produce 93 per cent of the world’s coal. Around 22 lakh coal miners work in the Asian continent. By 2050, around 9.9 lakh coal mine jobs will not be available across the world.

The Global Energy Monitor report highlighted that most coal miners were from India and China. China also has more than 1.5 million coal miners. 

Tiffany Means, one of the co-authors of the Global Energy Monitor report, said, “The coal industry has a long list of mines that will close in the near term – many of them state-owned enterprises with a government stake.”

Mine closures will eradicate about 15% of coal mining jobs across the world by 2035. Indian and Chinese workers will be affected the most by the layoffs.