BILASPUR (India CSR): South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL), a flagship subsidiary of Coal India Limited, honoured 75 dedicated coal workers with the first-ever SECL Vishwakarma Awards on the occasion of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s birthday and Lord Vishwakarma Jayanti. The felicitation ceremony, held at SECL’s headquarters in Bilaspur, celebrated the relentless efforts of miners, supervisors, and allied staff who form the backbone of India’s energy economy.
Recognition of Coal Workforce
The Vishwakarma Awards have been instituted to recognise the grit, dedication, and exemplary service of employees across SECL’s mines in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. The inaugural edition was marked as a tribute not only to Vishwakarma Jayanti but also to the leadership and vision of the Prime Minister, coinciding with his birthday.
Union Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs, Shri Tokhan Sahu, graced the event as the Chief Guest.
Sushant Shukla, MLA (Beltara), attended as Guest of Honour, while Shri Harish Duhan, CMD, SECL, presided over the programme. Functional Directors, trade union representatives, senior officers, and a large number of employees were present.
Addressing the gathering, Shri Sahu lauded SECL’s initiative and said, “By instituting the Vishwakarma Awards, SECL has given coal workers their rightful place of honour. Their contribution ensures the energy security of the nation.”
Green and Clean Commitment
The event commenced with the Swachhata Pledge, administered by the Chief Guest, symbolising the launch of Swachhata Hi Seva Campaign 2025 at SECL headquarters and all operational areas. This pledge underscored the importance of cleanliness in mining regions, aligning with the Government’s nationwide cleanliness drive.
To mark the occasion, dignitaries also planted saplings under the “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” campaign. The initiative, aimed at encouraging every citizen to dedicate a tree to their mother, resonated strongly with the gathering and highlighted SECL’s commitment to environmental sustainability.
Vishwakarma Seva Sankalp: Welfare and Awareness
Alongside the felicitation, SECL organised a special one-day campaign titled “SECL-17: Vishwakarma Seva Sankalp” across its ten operational districts. This unique campaign included seventeen welfare activities for regular and contract workers.
The activities ranged from:
- Health check-up and blood donation camps
- Safety and vigilance awareness programmes
- Financial and digital literacy workshops
- De-addiction awareness drives
- Plantation programmes under Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam
These activities highlighted SECL’s holistic approach to worker welfare, sustainable mining practices, and community development.
CMD’s Vision
In his presidential address, SECL CMD Harish Duhan emphasised that the awards would become an annual tradition. “SECL is not just a mining company, it is a family of committed workers. Through the Vishwakarma Awards, we pledge to celebrate their service, welfare, and well-being every year,” he said.
The event concluded with an assurance that SECL would continue to uphold the values of cleanliness, green growth, and worker welfare. By combining recognition, welfare initiatives, and environmental responsibility, SECL set a precedent for how public sector undertakings can align their core operations with national campaigns and worker-centric policies.
(India CSR)
