SCCL plans to diversify into lithium mining, green hydrogen and more for sustainable future: Bhatti

Deputy Chief Minister of Telangana M. Bhatti Vikramarka (centre) and others present a bonus check to a Singareni worker in Hyderabad on Monday (October 7, 2024). | Photo Credit: By Program

HYDERABAD

The Telangana government is planning to develop Singareni Collieries Company Ltd (SCCL) into a state-of-the-art company that will include new areas such as green energy and exploration of other minerals, said Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, who is also in charge of the Ministry of Energy and Finance.

Participating in the payment of bonus checks, part of the company’s profit for 2023-24, to workers and workers in Singareni here on Monday (October 7, 2024), he said the company will put a lot of effort into the establishment of green energy plants in the empty areas of Singareni’s mining areas. He said that workers and employees will be paid a total of ₹1,261 crore in the form of profit bonus , Deepavali bonus and festival advance this year.

He announced the establishment of Young India Integrated Residential Schools in Singareni areas, one each in all Council districts. Apart from that, a special hospital will also be established for the benefit of the company’s employees.

Ministers D. Sridhar Babu and P. Srinivasa Reddy, MLAs K. Sambasiva Rao, G. Vinod, G. Vivek, K. Premsagar Rao, MS Raj Thakur, K. Kanakaiah, M. Rahamayi, G. Satyanarayana Rao, recognized union leaders and Singareni officials led by the chairman and and managing director N. Balaram participated in this event.

Mr. Vikramarka said awareness meetings and dinner/lunch at all mines on improving production and productivity will be held on October 11. He pointed out that the company is keeping part of the profits for business expansion and diversification activities including entering new areas. in collaboration with overseas companies so that this organization is sustainable.

For the first time in the company’s records, even contract workers were paid R5,000 each in profit. He explained that on average, every employee will get ₹1.9 lakh as profit bonus this year, another ₹93,750 each as Deepavali bonus (₹375 crore) and ₹25,000 in advance for each festival (R90 crore). The advanced festival has already been paid for on October 3, he said.

Keeping in mind the depletion of coal resources, the company was planning to diversify into lithium mines, green hydrogen, hydel generation pumped out of thermal and solar power plants for a sustainable future, he said.

According to CMD Mr. Balaram, a Side Discharge Loader operator in Srirampur area A. Srinivas got the highest bonus of ₹3,24,150 for working 304 days in 2023-24 followed by ₹3.10 lakh to Jessi Raj and M. Tirupati ₹ 3 lakh. Several contract workers were also given R5,000 checks each as a bonus at the event.