February, 2026 Newsletter: Union Budget 2026 bets on critical minerals, nuclear energy, advanced science
Newsletter
February 2026
Justice in Mining Network- South Asia
MESSAGE
Dear friends
Johar!
February 2026 brings into sharp focus the accelerating push for extractive development in India alongside intensifying challenges to rights, governance, and environmental justice. The Government of India’s decision to notify coking coal as a “critical and strategic mineral” under the MMDR Act, coupled with the Union Budget 2026–27’s emphasis on rare earth corridors, tax incentives for mineral processing, and investments in advanced mining and energy infrastructure, signals a decisive shift towards resource-led self-reliance. Jharkhand is being positioned as a “critical minerals powerhouse,” with its rich reserves increasingly central to national and global supply chains.
However, these policy shifts are unfolding alongside troubling developments on the ground. In Odisha, concerns raised by UN officials regarding JSW Steel highlight potential violations of human rights, including lack of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC). Similarly, Adivasi communities in Sundargarh have protested the expansion of limestone mining by the Dalmia Group, citing violations of Fifth Schedule protections. In Bastar, Chhattisgarh, increased surveillance—through drones, house markings, and family registers—has transformed everyday life, raising serious concerns about privacy and civil liberties.
Environmental governance is also under scrutiny. The National Green Tribunal’s notice over coal mining in an elephant corridor in Singrauli, and allegations of fraudulent forest clearances in the Gondalpura coal block in Jharkhand, point to systemic gaps in regulatory oversight. The misuse of District Mineral Foundation Trust (DMFT) funds in Jharkhand further exposes how benefits meant for affected communities are often diverted.
Yet, this moment is equally defined by resistance and accountability. Protests in Madhya Pradesh’s Pachama Dadar, international solidarity actions against militarisation in mining regions, and renewed attention to historic struggles like the Koel-Karo movement underscore the enduring assertion of community rights.
As this newsletter illustrates, the question before us is not merely about development, but about whose development, at what cost, and with whose consent.
Justice in Mining Network looks forward to your solidarity and feedback.
justiceinminingnetwork@gmail.com
Compiled by: Deepti Mary Minj
Edited by: Dr P.M. Tony
Expansion of Mining and Resource Acquisition
As part of ongoing structural reforms in the mining sector and in line with the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat 2047, the Government of India has notified Coking Coal as a Critical and Strategic Mineral under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (MMDR Act). The decision has been taken on the basis of the recommendations of the High-Level Committee on Implementation of Viksit Bharat Goals (HLC-VB) and policy inputs from NITI Aayog, recognising the strategic role of coking coal in ensuring mineral security and meeting the requirements of the domestic steel sector. India has an estimated 37.37 billion tonnes of coking coal resources, largely located in Jharkhand, with additional reserves in Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal and Chhattisgarh. Despite this domestic availability, imports of coking coal have increased from 51.20 million tonnes in 2020–21 to 57.58 million tonnes in 2024–25. Currently, around 95 % of the coking coal requirement of the steel sector is met through imports, leading to significant foreign exchange outgo. To address this continued dependence, the Central Government has amended the First Schedule of the Act to include coal including coking coal in the list of Critical and Strategic Minerals. The inclusion of coking coal in this category is expected to facilitate faster approvals, improve ease of doing business, and accelerate exploration and mining activities, including of deep-seated deposits. Mining of critical minerals is exempt from public consultation requirements and permits the utilisation of degraded forest land for compensatory afforestation, measures that are also expected to encourage greater private sector participation. Click here to read more. https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2219947®=3&lang=1
Against a backdrop of rising geopolitical tensions, fragile supply chains and intensifying competition for resources, the government used the Union Budget 2026-27, which was presented by finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the Parliament on February 1, 2026 to sharpen India’s push for strategic self-reliance in minerals, energy and high-end science infrastructure. Centre will support mineral-rich states like Odisha, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh & Tamil Nadu in establishing dedicated Rare Earth Corridors. The Union Budget 2026-27 emphasises India’s strategic self-reliance in critical minerals, nuclear energy and advanced science. Key initiatives include the establishment of Rare Earth Corridors and tax incentives for critical mineral processing.There will be full exemption of basic customs duty on capital goods imported for processing critical minerals, where duties earlier ranged from 5 per cent to 7.5 per cent. With a budgetary outlay of Rs 7,280 crore over seven years, REPM was announced aiming at reducing import dependence and strengthening domestic supply chains for electric mobility, electronics, defence and aerospace, sectors that rely heavily on high-performance permanent magnets. Despite their name, they are relatively common in the Earth's crust but are rarely found in high-concentration, mineable deposits. Click here to read more. https://www.downtoearth.org.in/science-technology/union-budget-2026-bets-on-critical-minerals-nuclear-energy-advanced-science
Jharkhand governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar on 6 February said that critical minerals, green energy and smart mining technologies would shape India’s journey toward Atmanirbhar Bharat. Inaugurating the two-day Industry-Institute Interactio-2026 at IIT(ISM) Dhanbad, the governor stressed sustainable mining, indigenous technology and closer industry-academia collaboration as India balances resource security with environmental responsibility. Click here to read more. This comes at a time when the state government says that Jharkhand positions itself as India’s critical minerals powerhouse on global stage during its participation at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2026 in Davos. “Build on the ancient Singhbhum geological belt, the state holds some of the country’s richest reserves of iron ore, copper, coal, bauxite, uranium, limestone and strategic rare minerals, materials that are now indispensable to renewable energy, electric mobility, advanced manufacturing, digital infrastructure and defence technologies,” the statement read. Click here to read more. https://energy.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/coal/indias-path-to-self-reliance-jharkhand-governor-highlights-role-of-critical-minerals-and-green-energy/128023281#:~:text=Critical%20minerals%2C%20green%20energy%20to,resource%20security%20with%20environmental%20responsibility. https://energy.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/coal/jharkhand-positions-itself-as-indias-critical-minerals-powerhouse-on-global-stage-says-state-govt/126559075
Violation of Public Interest
In February, a letter from eight UN officials to Indian steel major JSW Steel was made public. The letter, sent in November 2025, detailed their concern that the construction of a new steel plant in Odisha, India is violating the rights of rural, forest-dwelling communities and Indigenous Peoples. The officials asked JSW steel to provide information on its human rights due diligence process and policies within 60 days of the communication. JSW Steel failed to respond. BankTrack has notified 22 financiers of JSW Steel of this development - including BNP Paribas, Standard Chartered, and DBS Bank - warning that their continued exposure to JSW Steel, and failure to rule out finance for the Odisha project, puts them at risk of non-compliance with international human rights standards. The letter raises deep concern that the construction of a captive coal fired steel plant in Odisha threatens rights to food, water, health, a clean sustainable environment, and cultural rights. These rights have been set out in numerous international human rights standards that JSW Steel, its financiers, and the government of India have signed up to. Reports have been raised that the company may have also violated the right to Free Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) when developing the project. Click here to read more. https://www.banktrack.org/article/eight_un_officials_warn_jsw_steel_may_be_violating_human_rights_law?fbclid=IwdGRzaAPy_RFjbGNrA_L80mV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABHg1qYNX1gAoa5IXYtt6iF6rQ8Vu3MFMOGvn5BnpGYM-sSlHDoOkArkmlaEuD_aem_PDsEdKj4NHH95QwgAR_BxA&sfnsn=wiwspwa
“We are saddened that our plight has not been heard even after approaching the president” said Bibol Toppo on Feb 11, who heads the Forum for Gram Sabha (village council) Committee in Rajgangpur, an industrial town in Sundargarh district. He said they were particularly hurt because Murmu is from the Santal tribe in Odisha. However, they will continue our struggle for tribal rights to their land until justice is delivered. His organization blocked traffic on the Rourkela-Sambalpur Biju Expressway for over 12 hours on Jan. 19 to protest the Dalmia Group's acquisition of tribal lands for a quarry expansion project sanctioned in December 2025. The area falls under the Fifth Schedule [of India's Constitution], where tribal lands enjoy constitutional safeguards and are governed by village councils comprising tribal leaders. Any project by external entities must obtain approval of the village council, or Gram Sabha. The tribal unrest is linked to DCBL's proposed expansion of the Lanjiberna Limestone Mines. The project reportedly spans 283 hectares across several villages, including Kesramal, Katang, Kukuda, Alanda, and Jhagarpur. Besides falling under the Fifth Schedule, the tribal lands in Rajgangpur also enjoy special protection under the Odisha Land Reforms Act, which prohibits the transfer of tribal people's ancestral lands to non-tribal entities without prior official approval. Click here to read more. https://www.ucanews.com/amp/indian-tribal-people-decry-lack-of-presidential-response-to-land-plea/111878
There is increasing surveillance in Adivasi villages in Bastar, Chhattisgarh, as part of the government’s intensified campaign to end the Maoist insurgency by 31 March 2026. Security camps have expanded across forested areas of Bijapur and Sukma districts. In villages like Chutvahi, houses have been painted with large identification numbers and photographed, and records of all family members are maintained in security camps. Villagers may be stopped and asked to recall their house numbers during checks, with those unable to do so sometimes detained until their identity is confirmed. Residents also report frequent drone flights, creating fears that their homes, movements, and visitors are being monitored. Authorities argue that such surveillance is necessary due to Maoist activity in the region, while legal experts warn that indiscriminate monitoring may violate the constitutional right to privacy. These measures have affected everyday life: villagers must inform security camps about festivals, weddings, visitors, and seasonal migration for work, leading many to feel their traditional social life and freedoms are being restricted. Click here to read more. https://scroll.in/article/1090988/house-numbers-drones-family-registers-bastar-villages-under-web-of-surveillance
The National Green Tribunal has issued notices to the Centre, the state government, the Adani Group, and the National Wildlife Board after questions were raised about the allocation of coal blocks in Singrauli-Sidhi and the environmental clearance. The NGT has sought a response within four weeks and has fixed the next hearing of the case for April 22, 2026. The petition has been filed by environmentalist Ajay Dubey, challenging the environmental clearance granted in May 2025. In fact, wildlife activist Ajay Dubey has challenged the environmental clearance granted in May 2025 in his petition. He claims this approval was granted in violation of regulations. The petition states that approximately 1,500 hectares of land in the dense forest area of Singrauli was allotted for coal mining. Ajay Dubey claims that this area is not a typical forest area, but rather, it is a frequented by elephants and is considered an elephant corridor. Dubey's petition states that the environmental clearance was granted in May 2025 without proper reference to this report and recommendations. According to him, the committee's objections were ignored. Click here to read more. https://www.groundreport.in/top-story/ngt-issues-notice-to-singrauli-coal-block-questions-raised-on-environmental-clearance/
Serious allegations of fraud, administrative collusion and violation of tribal land rights have brought Adani Enterprises’ Gondalpura coal mining project under intense scrutiny after the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) issued a formal notice to the Jharkhand government over questionable forest clearance granted for diversion of 832.70 acres of land. The ministry’s intervention follows a detailed complaint filed by local activist and whistleblower Shani Kant, who accused state authorities of securing environmental approvals through false affidavits and misrepresentation of facts under Proposal No. FP/JH/MIN/139492/2021. The allegations have raised troubling questions over regulatory integrity in India’s post-auction coal regime. MoEFCC has directed Jharkhand’s Environment and Forest Department to examine the charges, initiate action under applicable laws, keep the complainant informed of developments, and submit a compliance report to the Centre. Click here to read more. https://indianpsu.com/adani-gondalpura-coal-block-moefcc-forest-clearance-fraud-jharkhand/#:~:text=%E0%
On 12 February, hundreds of tribal people staged a road blockade (chakka jam) in front of the Ukwa Forest Range office in Baihar tehsil, (Balaghat, Madhya Pradesh) demanding the cancellation of the environmental public hearing scheduled for 18 February. Their protest is not mere agitation — it is a constitutionally grounded assertion of rights over forest land, water, and livelihoods that have sustained their communities for generations. Within a 10-kilometre radius of the proposed mining zone lies 24,416.5 hectares of dense forest, home to wildlife including tigers, leopards, bears, spotted deer (chital), and sambar. This corridor connects the Kanha–Pench Tiger Reserve, one of India’s most significant conservation areas. The region’s biodiversity index, on a scale of 1,000, ranges from 929.000 — a value widely recognised as indicating exceptionally rich biodiversity. The auction process for the Pachama Dadar bauxite block in Balaghat district, Madhya Pradesh, was initiated in 2023. Yet a closer examination of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report submitted for this proposed mining project reveals serious procedural and substantive failures that call into question the legitimacy of the entire exercise. Click here to read more. https://www.counterview.net/2026/02/constitution-vs-mining-trial-of.html?m=1
Stories of People’s Resistance
The Koel-Karo movement, a decades-long struggle led by the Adivasi community against the proposed Koel-Karo hydroelectric project in Jharkhand. The project aimed to harness the Koel and Karo rivers to generate 710 megawatts of electricity. However, this would have resulted in the submerge of 256 villages, the loss of 55,000 hectares of agricultural land, and the destruction of 27,000 acres of forest. Crucially, it would have submerged sacred spaces like the Sarna (places of worship) and Sasandiri (ancestral burial sites), deeply tied to the Adivasi language, culture, and spirituality. The struggle, led by the Koel-Karo Jan Sangathan, was successful. The movement rejected monetary compensation and rehabilitation packages, arguing that their culture, environment, and ancestral land could not be bought or replaced. The victory was achieved by grounding the fight in their intrinsic connection to the land. Dayamani Barla highlights the project's relevance today in the context of sustainable development. Click here to watch. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRoqbihf3Tg&t=43s
UK Protest Targets India’s ‘Operation Kagar’, Links Militarisation to Corporate Loot
Activists and solidarity organisations gathered outside the Consulate General of India in Birmingham, United Kingdom on January 27 to protest what they described as the Indian state’s genocidal counterinsurgency campaign, Operation Kagar, an operation critics say has unleashed mass displacement, militarisation and repression in Adivasi regions under the pretext of fighting Maoist insurgency.The protest—organised by the Joint Committee to Stop Repression in India (JCSRI) along with several international organisations—marked the first public demonstration against Operation Kagar in Britain. The JCSRI, said the protests were part of a growing transnational movement against militarism, imperialism and genocide—from Central India to Palestine and the Philippines. Speakers at the protest, highlighted how the mineral-rich and forested Bastar region has been transformed into one of the most heavily militarised areas in the world. Under Operation Kagar, they alleged, entire Adivasi villages have been displaced, forests cleared, and civilian populations subjected to violence and surveillance in the service of extractive corporate interests. Several speakers linked Operation Kagar directly to the interests of global mining and infrastructure corporations. London-based Vedanta Resources was specifically named as one of the beneficiaries of land clearance and militarisation in Adivasi areas. Protesters also called out the Adani Group, pointing to its extractive projects in Central India and its complicity with genocidal Israel, including ownership of Haifa Port in Israel and arms manufacturing collaborations with Elbit Systems. Click here to read more. https://www.groundxero.in/2026/02/07/uk-protest-targets-indias-operation-kagar-links-militarisation-to-corporate-loot/
The central government has taken serious cognizance of the misuse of DMFT (District Mineral Fund Trust) funds in Jharkhand. Following a Prabhat Khabar report, the Ministry of Mines has written to the state's Mines Secretary, ordering an investigation. Officials now face the threat of action for using funds allocated for rural welfare to decorate deputy commissioners' bungalows and build gyms. The DC's bungalow has been decorated with DMFT funds, ignoring the villages. This work has been done in violation of regulations. The central government has allocated DMFT funds under the Pradhan Mantri Khanij Kshetra Kalyan Yojana (PMKKKY). The central government can request a report on misuse. The central government monitors whether the model rules of PMKKKY are being followed. It should be noted that state governments have established DMFTs, but central guidelines also apply. Click here to read more. https://www.prabhatkhabar.com/state/jharkhand/ranchi/dmft-fund-misuse-prabhat-khabar-impact-on-this-case-ministry-of-mines-asked-report-from-jharkhand-government
The notice, issued on February 12, 2026, seeks recovery of a compensation amount of ₹929,40 crore. The company received the communication on February 12, 2026. The demand pertains to alleged production from the Surda mine without valid statutory clearances or in excess of permissible limits during the period from FY 2000-01 to FY 2016-17. The liability has been cited under Section 21(5) of the Mines and Minerals (Development & Regulation) Act, 1957, in reference to the Common Cause judgment issued by the Supreme Court of India. Hindustan Copper has denied the allegations and stated that it is taking appropriate legal action in the matter. The company said the impact on its financials, operations or other activities will be limited to the extent of the final order. Hindustan Copper plans to expand mine capacity from around 4 MT to over 12 MT, with capital expenditure of about ₹2,000 crore over the next five to six years. Click here to read more. https://www.cnbctv18.com/market/stocks/hindustan-copper-share-price-receives-rs-929-crore-demand-notice-from-jharkhand-mining-officer-ws-l-19850055.htm
Why does the Forest Rights Act matter? Who really owns the forest — the State or the people? In this opening episode of Forest, State, People, C R Bijoy traces the historical emergence of the Forest Rights Act (FRA). Beginning with colonial forest control, the Supreme Court’s intervention in the Godavarman case, and the large-scale evictions of forest dwellers, this talk examines the long struggle of Adivasi and forest communities for justice. The Forest Rights Act emerged not as charity, but as resistance — inspired by the spirit of PESA and the idea that power must rest with the Gram Sabha. This is a talk about: The Godavarman case and eviction crisis Forest dwellers’ protests Campaign for Survival and Dignity Decolonising Forest governance Community control over forests The role of Gram Sabha in forest protection and management The Forest Rights Act represents a historic shift from bureaucratic control to community stewardship. Click here to watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QupXwcs5KPQ
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