The Union Ministry of Coal is proposing a new law to provide social security and pensionary benefits to coal workers in India.
The new law, once approved, will replace the 77-year-old Coal Mines Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1948.
The new bill, titled Coal Mines Employees’ Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill, 2025, will, as per the ministry, take into account recent developments in areas such as dispute resolution, working conditions, social security, wage regulation, digitalisation, and the enactment of four labour codes in the recent past.
“The proposal seeks to undertake a comprehensive review and strengthen the provisions of the Act to ensure its effectiveness in meeting the present and future needs of the coal sector,” said the ministry.
The ministry has also invited comments and suggestions on the draft of the new bill from the stakeholders. The new bill also proposes replacing the existing Board of Trustees with the Coal Mines Employees’ Provident Fund Board, thereby providing a more robust and accountable regulatory framework.
The initiative is a part of the Central Government’s initiative to review pre-constitutional acts and assess their relevance in today’s India.
“It has been considered necessary to take remedial actions, including repeal, re-enactment or consolidation of multiple central acts governing similar subject matter into a single, streamlined enactment,” the ministry stated.
