The state of Odisha is blessed with a variety of rich deposits of minerals. Coal being one of them. Transparent and liberal policies adopted by the government of India led by honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji has led to tremendous increase in the revenue of all mineral rich states through royalty. The state of Odisha has not only a very large deposit of coal but is extractable with low-costs. This enables mining of coal in profitable manner. Mahanadhi coalfields Ltd (MCL) is one of the largest PSUs based in Odisha. It has coal mining operation operations spread over three districts, namely Angul, Jharsuguda and sundergarh besides corporate office in Sambalpur. The company has been promptly been responding to the steadily rising demand for energy within the country. Even as renewable energy has received considerable push from the government, enhancing coal production has been inevitable on account of rapid rise in electricity demand nationwide. Though demand has enabled MCL to post rapid growth in mining activity resulting in coal production rising from 148 million tonnes 3 years ago to over 200 million tonnes (estimated) in the current financial year. All this is mostly based on production through open cast mines. Coal mining comes with inevitable hazards of pollution through dust and release of gases besides affecting water table in the nearby areas. Open cast mining also involves displacement of people. Therefore, it becomes incumbent upon every mining company to ensure not just proper rehabilitation and resettlement (R&R) of affected persons but also be compliant of all environmental norms and regulations, so as to minimise impact on the environment.
While MCL has been trying to minimise the impact of mining operations on the environment through various measures such as dust suppression using water, sprinkles and fogging, canons and use of better technologies to reduce dust pollution interalia. MCL is also active with several measures under corporate social responsibility which has not only helped the land losers but also a larger chunk of the population in the periphery of the mining areas. The company is sensitive to the healthcare needs of the local community. Therefore has spared no effort in taking care of the needs of the local population, especially during COVID-19 crisis. MCL spent nearly 325, crores in providing free treatment to Covid 19 patients through funding 04 nos. of Dedicated Covid Hospitals during all the Covid waves across the state of Odisha. The company received much appreciation from the state government and the people.
There have been specific large scale projects under CSR which the company has taken up as a goodwill measure for the benefit of the local population. One such measure is construction of a 100 seated medical college at Talcher of Angul district at a cost of Rs.493 crores. Along with the construction of medical college, MCL also upgraded its hospital into a 500 bedded hospital which will be functioning as the teaching hospital of the medical college. Apart from the capital investment, MCL will also bear the operational cost of the medical college which is estimated to Rs.815 crores over five years. MCL has also constructed a cardiac care Hospital in Jharsuguda which has costed the company nearly 104 crores. Towards enhancing the health care in Odisha, MCL provided CSR fund of nearly Rs.9 crores for improvement of health institutions of Kandhamal district and Rs.8 crores for upgradation of medcal facilities of VIMSAR, Burla. Apart from these major projects, MCL has also developed different health centres, conducted health camps in the periphery of company’s operational area, provided medical equipments to different government hospitals etc. MCL is also contributing 30 ALS ambulance to the state’s health infrastructure costing Rs.17 crores.
Education is the first foremost step towards the path of development. Govt. of India has always emphasized improving the quality of education to the children. Towards improving the education system in the state of Odisha, MCL has contributed Rs.33 crores for transformation of different high schools. MCL has also implemented the project for installation of 419 nos. of smart class solutions in various Govt. schools in the State of Odisha at cost of nearly Rs.14 crores. MCL sanctioned Rs.43 crores for construction of a 500 seated girl’s hostel at NIT Rourkela and a ladies hsotel has already been constructed at Sambalpur University at a cost of more than Rs. 3 crores. MCL has taken various skill projects to fulfill the vision of ‘skilled India’ of Govt. of India, till date MCL under its CSR initiative is providing residential skill training programs to 3600 nos. of youths from its periphery areas. The skill courses are being implemented with a provision of minimum 70% placement of the candidates. Towards this initiative, MCL is spending nearly Rs.42 crores under its CSR.
Towards ensuring environmental sustainability, MCL has taken up different plantation projects in the state of Odisha. Urban tree plantation of around 6 lakh plants in Angul, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Sundergarh and Khurda districts has already been completed in the year 2021-22 at cost of Rs.22 crores. MCL has also taken up the plantation projects in Khurda and Cuttack districts for planting 5,23,000 trees at a cost of Rs.26 crores. Union Government has introduced the ‘Aspirational District development programme’ with an aim of development of the most backward districts of our Country. MCL under its CSR initiative has undertaken various development projects in four Aspirational districts Rayagada, Nuapda, Bolangir and Kandhamal. Overall various projects amounting to Rs.38 crores have been undertaken by MCL in these 04 nos. of Aspirational district. Similarly, construction of stadiums in Sambalpur and Jajpur districts was also completed recently which costed in excess of Rs.35 crores.
There are hundreds of small scale projects being taken up by the company which include construction of community halls in dozens of villages, water supply in villages during summer, enhancing the quality of life of farmers by augmenting their income through additional measures. All these measures manifest in Indirect benefits. The company generates goodwill in the society. The gamut of CSR activities is particularly widespread in as much as providing support to a few hundred schools for upgrading their infrastructure and setting up smart classrooms in over hundred schools. Expenditure under CSR has been on the rise, reaching from nearly once 160 crores to over 260 crores for the current financial year. Above measures are a firm indicator of the resolve on the part of the company to be a part and parcel of the growth story of Odisha and engage in welfare measures wherever possible. CSR funds have also been deployed in creating important infrastructure based on local demand. MCL has thus made efforts at being a corporate entity with a big heart and engaged with people closely to serve the state of Odisha.
Head of Public Relations, Mahanadi Coalfields Limited