The Ministry of Coal has clarified that Central Mine Planning and Design Institute Limited (CMPDIL)is a subsidiary of Coal India Limited (CIL) that provides exploration and consultancy services primarily to the coal sector. Keeping in view the scope for its business expansion in other minerals, the government has plans for its strengthening, for which it is being considered to merge Mineral Exploration Corporation Limited (MECL)into CMPDIL.
MECL has domain expertise in non-coal mineral exploration and consultancy. Therefore, such merger and creation of one integrated exploration and consultancy organisation with requisite expertise for coal and non-coal sector would result in growth and value addition. At the same time, CMPDIL will continue to be a subsidiary of Coal India Limited.