– WCL has an important role to play in meeting the country’s coal requirements – Kishan Reddy
Nagpur :- Minister of Coal and Mines, G. Kishan Reddy, visited the WCL headquarters in Nagpur on October 7, 2024. He reviewed performance of WCL. Honourable Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari was also present during the review meeting.
In the meeting, Minister of Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy reviewed WCL’s coal production, productivity, dispatch, and issues concerning the Project Affected People (PAPs). In the meeting, CMD J. P. Dwivedi made a detailed Power Point presentation about the overview of the coal mining situation in WCL and issue pertaining to rehabilitation and resettlement of PAPs.
In his address, Honourable Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy emphasized that, to fulfil country’s coal requirements, it is essential for all CIL subsidiaries to meet their annual targets. He stated that to make the nation self-reliant in the coal sector, strengthening ongoing coal mining operations and initiating new projects is vital. He assured Coal Ministry’s full support in this endeavour.
He urged for swift action on land acquisition, environmental and forest clearances, adoption of new technology and resolving issues of PAPs. He emphasised that WCL has an important role to play in meeting the country’s coal requirements.
In the review meeting, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Coal, Rupinder Brar, Chairman, Coal India Limited P.M. Prasad and other senior officials from Ministry of Coal, CIL and WCL were present.
Prior to the review meeting, Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy planted a sapling under the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ initiative of Ministry of Coal, GoI. He visited the Integrated Control and Command Centre (ICCC), an innovative AI enabled initiative for surveillance of mines, at the WCL headquarters. He also launched WCL’s Coal Shakti Dal. The Coal Shakti Dal is a specialized team of Armed Security personnel equipped with modern tools and technology to respond swiftly to emergency and critical situations including intrusion, unauthorised access in Coal Mines.
Before review meeting of WCL, Honourable Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy inaugurated CMPDI’s NaCCER Test Lab based at Ranchi through online mode. He, further, launched WCL CSR’s flagship project ‘Tarash 2.0.’ Under this ambitious project, WCL will provide for coaching of 40 students for IIT-JEE and NEET exams. This project also provides for accommodation, meals, books and a stipend of ₹1000 per month to each student. Union minister honoured four students from the Tarash 2.0 program, who had scored above 95% marks in their 10th-grade exams.
Thereafter, he felicitated sanitation workers who had an outstanding contribution to the ‘Swachhata Hi Seva Campaign 2024’. He also handed over financial assistance of rupees one lakh to Ms. Mehak, daughter of late Shri Nunhare, a former sanitation worker, for education and other requirements of the family.
