Dr. Prem Sagar Mishra has emerged as a trailblazer in the coal industry, with a remarkable journey spanning over three decades. As the Chairman-cum-Managing Director of South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL), he has led the company to unprecedented heights, achieving record-breaking performances in coal production, overburden removal, and offtake. In an exclusive conversation with Shishir Roy Chowdhury, Dr. Mishra shares his insights on leadership, innovation, and sustainability, offering a glimpse into his remarkable journey and the transformative initiatives that have positioned SECL as a front-runner in the coal industry.

Q: How was the recently concluded FY2023-24 for SECL from a coal production and dispatch point of view?

A: The recently concluded FY 2023-24 marked a year of remarkable achievements for SECL. Through our employees’ dedication and hard work, we registered the highest coal production in our history of 187 million tonnes. SECL clocked a historic growth of 20 million tonnes in annual coal production compared to FY 2022-23. I would like to mention here that this was the second consecutive year that we registered an annual growth of more than 20 million tonnes which reflects our resolve to secure the country’s energy needs.

SECL did exceptionally well in coal dispatch also in FY23-24 which ensured adequate availability of coal to our thermal power plants across the nation. In the financial year 23-24, SECL dispatched 180.5 million tonnes of coal to consumers, out of which the highest 147.5 million tonnes were dispatched to power plants in the country which is the highest ever dispatch to the power sector in a single year. Over Burden Removal (OBR) for FY23-24 stood at 323.5 MCuM with a record growth of 22%.

Q: How do you see SECL’s role in making India self-reliant in the area of energy in the years to come?

A: The Ministry of Coal has set a target to produce 1.31 billion tonnes of coal by FY 2025 and 1.5 billion tonnes of coal by FY 2030. SECL, one of the largest coal companies in the country, will emerge as a significant contributor in realising this vision. SECL plans to achieve 260 million tonnes of coal production by FY 2025-26 and 285 MT by FY 2030.

The three megaprojects of SECL — Gevra, Dipka, and Kusmunda — will be the major contributors to achieving the target coal production figures, and, therefore, we plan to transform these mega mines into some of the biggest coal mines not only in the country but in the world.

Gevra stands today as the largest coal mine in the country with coal production for FY23-24 crossing 59 million tonnes. We achieved a significant milestone in FY23-24 when we secured environmental clearance to expand Gevra’s annual capacity to 70 million tonnes which paved the way for the mine to become the largest coal mine in Asia. We are planning to take its capacity to 100 million tonnes in the future and make it the world’s largest coal mine.

Similarly, another megaproject, Kusmunda, achieved the feat of becoming the country’s third largest coal mine with annual production for FY 23-24 breaching the 50 million tonne mark.

Q: We hear a lot about sustainable mining technology being used in coal mines. Can you tell us a little bit about that?

A: While we are committed to fulfilling the energy needs of the nation, we are equally concerned about doing so in an environment-friendly manner. To do so, SECL has deployed state-of-the-art “Surface Miners” in our opencast mines for extracting coal. These world-class machines can extract coal without the need for drilling and blasting. The machines also cut the coal in small sizes during the process of extraction and the in-built sprinkler system doesn’t let coal dust emanating during the extraction process into the air ensuring a cleaner environment. In FY 23-24, more than 70% of SECL’s production came from Surface miners. Similarly in underground mines, we have deployed Continuous Miners which ensure safe and efficient extraction of coal.

As per our UG vision, we want to increase UG production to 30 million tonnes by FY 2027-28, and, therefore, we are planning to deploy more Continuous Miners in the underground mines of SECL to boost coal production from these mines while ensuring safety and efficiency.

Q: Environment is always a hot topic when it comes to the mining industry. Can you talk a little bit about steps taken by SECL to conserve the environment in the coal belt?

A: Ensuring a clean and green environment for the people in the coal belt of Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh is one of our top priorities. Making the country energy self-reliant while promoting sustainable development is the cornerstone of our operations. Every year, we undertake plantations in all of our operational areas to promote green cover. In FY23-24, we planted 10.77 lakh saplings, the highest in its history, which is the highest among all the subsidiaries of Coal India.

A total of 475 hectares of land has been brought under green cover, leaving behind the target of 430 hectares. In addition, SECL plans to plant 38 lakh saplings for Rs 169 crore in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh during the next five years for which the company has signed agreements with the State Forest Development Corporations of these states.

SECL’s Jamuna Kotma opencast project has emerged as a beautiful example of Accredited Compensatory Afforestation where an area of about 672 hectares has returned to its natural form with lush green cover with the help of afforestation done under the Mine Closure Plan.

SECL is also working on a plan to develop forest over an area of 2 hectares using the popular Japanese technique “Miyawaki” on a pilot project basis in Gevra. Along with this, the company has decided to develop Manikpur Pokhari under the Korba area as an eco-tourism destination.

Q: The Ministry of Coal is giving a lot of push to eco-friendly dispatch of coal through First Mile Connectivity projects. Please tell us about the same at SECL.

A: First Mile Connectivity (FMC) is very crucial for ensuring swift, safe, and sustainable transportation of coal. Under the guidance of the Ministry of Coal, SECL has already built FMC projects in its mega projects and many more will be commissioned in the near future.

Recently, the SECL family became witness to a significant milestone when on 24 February 2024, three FMC projects of SECL — SECL Dipka OCP CHP in the Dipka area and Chhal OCP CHP and Baroud OCP CHP in the Raigarh area — were inaugurated by the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.

Dipka OCP Coal Handling Plant at Dipka area of SECL is a major project constructed at a cost of over Rs 211 crore. The project with an annual coal handling capacity of 25 MT has an overground bunker capacity of 20,000 tonnes and a 2.1 km long conveyor belt, which facilitates rapid loading of 4,500-8,500 tonnes of coal per hour.

The Chhal OCP Coal Handling Plant in SECL’s Raigad area has been built at a cost of over Rs 173 crore. It has an annual coal dispatch capacity of 6 MT. The Baroud OCP Coal Handling Plant has an annual capacity of 10 million tonnes of coal designed for handling. It has been completed at a cost of Rs 216 crore.

FMC projects are crucial for transporting coal in an environment-friendly manner as coal is transported from mine to siding with the help of conveyors instead of dumpers by road.

The mechanisation of the coal dispatch system under FMC projects is helping in transporting more coal to power plants across the country in a short time. Along with this, due to reduced coal transportation by road, fuel expenses are being saved, while carbon emissions are also decreasing. The absence of coal transportation through dumpers is also ensuring a clean and safe environment for people residing near mines.

Q: The government is emphasising on the development of renewable energy, especially solar energy. What steps is SECL taking in this regard?

A: SECL aims to become a net-zero company while reducing carbon emissions, and solar energy will play a very important role in it. In the year 23-24, 20 MW ground-mounted grid-connected solar project in Bhatgaon area got commissioned and work was awarded to 4,000 KW roof-top solar projects at SECL headquarters and various operational areas. The company is already operating roof-top solar projects of 580 kWP capacity in its various areas.

The company also started the deployment of around 15 electric vehicles in its various operation areas.

Q: CSR is an important focus area for all PSUs. Tell us a little about the CSR initiatives of SECL.

A: For SECL, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) goes beyond fulfilling statutory obligations; it is a means to strengthen the company’s ties with the communities in its coalfield regions and empower them. SECL ranks among the top CSR spenders in the coal belts of Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.

In FY 2023-24, SECL achieved the target of CSR expenditure on various social works under CSR in the last financial year. SECL CSR achieved its CSR target for FY2023-24 and incurred 70% of its expenditure in Healthcare & Nutrition against the target of 60% as per the DPE guidelines.

SECL’s CSR endeavours span a wide spectrum, covering healthcare, education, livelihood enhancement, rural development, environmental conservation, sports promotion, heritage preservation, art and culture, sanitation, and welfare of differently abled and ex-servicemen. Adhering to regulatory mandates, SECL’s CSR activities aim to bring about meaningful change in the lives of local communities.

Under the vision of ‘Viksit Bharat’ and ‘Digital Bharat,’ SECL has embarked on transformative initiatives resonating with the national ethos. Prominent among SECL’s initiatives is the establishment of 782 Smart Classrooms across government schools in Korba, Raigarh, and Umaria districts under its PM e-VIDYA initiative. With a budget of Rs 17.98 crore, this endeavour has positively impacted over 95,000 students annually, ushering a new era of digital education. These Smart Classrooms are tailored to provide digital learning opportunities up to the 12th standard, facilitating multi-mode access to learning.

Furthermore, SECL’s commitment to educational empowerment extends through its “SECL ke Sushrut” initiative, a CSR initiative providing free NEET coaching, boarding, and lodging facilities to 40 underprivileged students. This initiative not only supports aspiring medical professionals, but also embodies SECL’s dedication to fostering equal opportunities in education, contributing to the nation’s development agenda.

Echoing the vision of youth-centric development, SECL has introduced various skill development initiatives, collaborating with institutions like the Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering & Technology (CIPET). Through these efforts, SECL has provided skill development training to over 1,200 beneficiaries, achieving an impressive placement rate of over 90 per cent. In addition, under the PM Vishwakarma Yojna, SECL has empowered 50 women in the Annuppur district through sewing machine training and distribution, fostering self-employment and economic independence.

SECL has undertaken numerous healthcare initiatives, including infrastructure development projects such as providing CT Scan and MRI machines at CIMS, Bilaspur, Government Medical College Ambika, and District Hospital, Baikunthpur. It has also facilitated the deployment of Advanced Life Support Ambulances, established COVID Testing Labs, and set up Exclusive COVID Care centres in hospitals.

Beyond infrastructure development, SECL actively engages in community healthcare by organising village health camps. Moreover, the company has collaborated with district administrations in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh to combat the spread and mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Q: Land acquisition and resettlement of landowners are crucial for the timely expansion of mines and present some challenges. How is SECL dealing with this?

A: For the coal industry, the only raw material is land. For sustained mining operations, timely acquisition of land for expanding mines is crucial and therefore protecting the rights of the people occupying the land and taking care of their Resettlement and Rehabilitation becomes important.

For its megaprojects Gevra, which is the largest coal mine in the country, Kusmunda and Dipka, the company implemented a more lucrative compensation and R&R policy, the first of its kind in Coal India and increased the monetary compensation for landowners.

In FY 2023-24, SECL sanctioned employment to 707 landowners, the highest since our inception.

Q: What are some of the initiatives taken at SECL to promote learning and skill development among employees?

A: At SECL, our employees are our biggest strength, and their all-round development has always been a top agenda for me. We want to inculcate a culture of innovation continuous learning and upskilling among our employees. We want to achieve this through a mission-mode, and, therefore, several missions have been launched to transform SECL as a workplace. Some of the key missions are:

Mission NACHIKETA was launched in 2022 to inculcate a culture of learning and skilling among the various departments and employees at SECL. ‘NACHIKETA’ stands for New Advanced Comprehensive Holistic & Integrated Knowledge Enriched Training Architecture. Under this programme, it is envisioned that through various workshops, seminars, and training and knowledge sharing sessions employees would be trained and upskilled.

For promoting a culture of safety, health, and hygiene at workplace, Mission SUDESHH has been launched in SECL by CMD Dr. Prem Sagar Mishra. SUDESHH stands for Sustainable Development, Environment, Safety, Health, and Hygiene. The aim of this mission is to create awareness among employees regarding safety and health at workplace and to encourage them to adopt best practices related to safety and health.

Mission MITAWA has been conceptualised with the aim of achieving the goal zero harm in the mines of SECL with close cooperation and combined efforts of DGMS (Directorate General of Mines Safety), SECL Management, and Labour Union representatives in educating, implementing, and practising best practices related to the safety of miners.

Mission FITE stands for Fairness, Integrity, Transparency, and Equality. The mission’s aim is to foster the values of fairness and integrity among employees while promoting transparency and equality at workplace. The mission has been conceptualised with the broader aim of creating awareness on vigilance.

Mission JATAYU based on the character JATAYU of Hindu epic Ramayana encourages employees to remain vigilant and report any wrong act they witness at workplace to promote and foster a corruption-free environment.

Q: What is the work being done by the company to boost coal dispatch infrastructure especially concerning railways?

A: The development of infrastructure is very important for expanding coal production and dispatch. In this financial year, the company has made a record capital investment of more than Rs 5,000 crore so far, out of which more than Rs 1,000 crore has been spent on coal dispatch-related arrangements like FMC, CHP, rail siding etc.

Last year, Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated our CERL Phase-II constructed at a cost of more than Rs 3,055 crore. This 125-km-long rail network between Kharsia and Dharamjaigarh will connect the mines of the Mand-Raigarh Coalfield, one of the largest coalfields of the country located in Raigarh district, directly to the power plants across the country and help in quick and eco-friendly coal dispatch through electrified rail line. In the future, the development of passenger transport facilities will ensure connectivity to the rest of the country for people in tribal-dominated areas of the region.

The work on Phase II of this project i.e. Dharamjaigarh-Korba line and about 191 km rail route of Chhattisgarh East-West Railway Limited (CEWRL) is also in progress. I believe that the rail corridor projects of SECL will become the forerunner of development in remote areas of Chhattisgarh. This will facilitate the transportation of coal to power plants located in northern, north-western and western parts of the country. On the other hand, these will create employment opportunities for the youth of the state.