Coal India’s Comprehensive COVID-19 CSR Efforts: Rs. 734 Crore Spent and Infrastructure, Equipment, and Material Support Provided
New Delhi: Coal India Limited, a state-owned coal mining company, has provided significant financial support to various COVID-19 related causes. In the fiscal year of 20-21, the company spent Rs. 269 crores, or 48.6% of its total corporate social responsibility (CSR) budget, on COVID-19 related projects, Govt said.
The following year, it spent Rs. 244 crores, or 41.8% of its total CSR budget, on COVID-19 related causes. In total, the company has spent Rs. 734 crores on COVID-19 from fiscal year 19-20 to 21-22. In addition to this, Coal India Limited also contributed Rs. 221.03 crore to the PM-CARES Fund in fiscal year 19-20.
Furthermore, the company has provided financial support to several state governments.
It has given a total of Rs. 90 crores to the states of Maharashtra (Rs. 20 cr.), West Bengal (Rs. 20 cr.), Jharkhand (Rs. 20 cr.), Madhya Pradesh (Rs. 20 cr.), and Chhattisgarh (Rs. 10 cr.) to assist with their COVID-19 response efforts. This demonstrates Coal India Limited’s commitment to helping those impacted by the pandemic and supporting the efforts of local governments.
Coal India Limited and its subsidiaries have made significant efforts to provide infrastructure, equipment, and material support in the fight against COVID-19. MCL constructed a 1200 bedded dedicated COVID hospital in Bhubaneswar and a 150 bedded dedicated COVID hospital in Talcher, Odisha.
SECL converted government hospitals in Bilaspur and Ambikapur, Chhattisgarh into 100 bedded dedicated COVID hospitals, and ECL built a 200 bedded COVID hospital in Hasdiha, Godda, Jharkhand. CCL also established a 150 bedded makeshift COVID hospital in Bokaro, Jharkhand.
In terms of equipment support, SECL donated a 64 slice CT scan machine to the District hospital in Baikunthpur, Chattisgarh and provided cold chain equipment for vaccine transport to the governments of Chattisgarh, West Bengal, and Meghalaya. CIL donated oxygen concentrators and pulse oximeters to various hospitals in Bihar and Jharkhand.
Under the mission “Praanvayu,” CIL and its subsidiaries are setting up 31 oxygen plants in 28 hospitals with a total cost of Rs. 46 crores and a combined capacity of more than 35,000 liters per minute. These plants will support a total of 5000 beds.
In addition to this, the company and its subsidiaries have distributed over 5.5 lakh cooked food and dry ration packets, including 71,000 on Shramik Special Trains, and more than 19.59 lakh masks and 84,000 liters of hand sanitizer in the areas surrounding its mines.
CIL and its subsidiaries have also provided employment and income generation opportunities through CSR projects, including training for women in Khadi and handloom and procuring masks from women’s self-help groups. The company also executed the “Bharat KeKaladharmi” project to support performing artists who lost their livelihoods due to the closure of tourist places during the lockdown.
Despite the challenges of the pandemic, CIL and its subsidiaries were able to spend significantly more on CSR efforts in fiscal year 20-21 than their statutory requirement.
(India CSR)
