Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd. (MCL), Coal India’s mining subsidiary in Odisha, is aiming at a coal production target of 300 million tonnes (MnT) by 2025-26. The company plans to achieve this stupendous growth in coal output on the back of long term planning and inclusion of new technologies for coal excavation and despatch.
MCL, the second largest coal producing subsidiary of Coal India, had produced 144 million tonne during financial year 2018-19, and is targeted to produce 160 million tonne in the current financial year.
MCL’s newly-appointed Chairman-cum-Managing Director (CMD), Mr. Bhola Nath Shukla, commented during his maiden visit to Talcher coalfields, “We are into a long term planning to ensure that mining operations remain smooth to register consistent growth. By 2025-26, we expect the company to achieve 300 million tonne figure, with 200 million tonne produced by Talcher coalfields alone”.
Mr. Shukla was the Director (Technical) of Central Mining Planning and Design Institute Limited (CMPDI) before taking up charge of CMD, MCL on the 14th of this month.
Asserting that the company has taken major initiative to enhance coal evacuation through infrastructure development, like coal corridor, SILOs, etc., the CMD said focus would be on speedy capacity enhancement of rail infrastructure, which would also help private players develop their coal blocks and contribute towards meeting the growing energy demand of the nation.
The company is going ahead with environment-friendly initiatives like pipe conveyors, coal washeries, SILOs, belt conveyor etc. to ensure sustainable mining operations.
“The increase in coal production would directly benefit the growth of coal bearing districts by increasing contributions to the District Mineral Fund (DMF)” Mr Shukla said, emphasizing that the company has contributed about INR 600 crore to DMF and spent INR 167 crore under corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the last fiscal. Cumulative DMF contribution by MCL is around INR 2,100 crore in the past four years.
Regarding Mahanadi Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Talcher, the CMD said that the academic block had been inaugurated while the hospital is under development to cater to the requirements of a 500 bedded medical college and hospital.
“The process is on and we will try to expedite it further by taking on board all the stakeholders so that this cherished dream of having medical college in Talcher coalfields is fulfilled at the earliest” Shukla said.
The CMD after taking over has visited all the mines in Talcher coalfields and interacted with field officers. He also chaired a meeting of Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) and interacted with representatives of workers.
The CMD expressed that his visit to Talcher coalfields was like “home coming” as he had spent about six years there.
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