Telangana announces ₹796-crore bonus for Singareni staff and employees  

CM, Dy CM announce bonus for contract workers of SCCL for the first time   

The State ogvernment has announced 33% bonus amounting to ₹796 crore for the staff and workers of public sector miner Singareni Collieries Company Limited for the financial year 2023-24.

The public sector company has reported profit after tax of ₹4,701 crore of which ₹2,289 crore has been earmarked for expansion plans. “So, ₹796 crore, which is 33% of the remaining ₹2,412 crore, has been decided to be extended as bonus for staff and workers,” Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka said.

He, along with Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and other Ministers, made the announcement ahead of the meeting of the State Cabinet here on Friday. The announcement would ensure payment of ₹1.9 lakh on an average to each of the 41,837 permanent employees of SCCL.

The ogvernment, for the first time, had decided to pay ₹5,000 each to over 25,000 employees working on contract basis in Singareni on humanitarian grounds. “An amount of ₹1.9 lakh per employee is ₹20,000 more than what the previous BRS government had given last year,” he said.

Mr. Vikramarka explained that plans had been prepared for expansion of operations of SCCL and investment to the tune of ₹2,289 crore would be made in this direction. It was planned to set up 1,000-MW solar power plant and another 500-MW pumped storage power plant at Ramagundam while the capacity of the existing thermal plant would be expanded by setting up a third unit of 800 MW.

In addition, SCCL would enter into a joint venture agreement with the Telangana Power Generation Corporation for setting up another 800 MW thermal power plant.

Explaining the other initiatives, the Deputy Chief Minister said it was decided to set up a pithead power project at the SCCL-owned Naini block in Odisha and it was proposed to construct coal handling plants as part of the capital investment plans. This apart, steps would be taken to set up an integrated residential school for children of Singareni employees. In addition to improving the facilities at the area hospitals operated by the SCCL, it was decided to set up a multi super-speciality hospital in the State capital to cater to their medical needs.

Mr. Revanth Reddy recalled the crucial role played by Singareni employees in the separate Statehood movement and said the government immediately responded to a proposal forwarded by Mr. Bhatti Vikramarka for announcing bonus for the employees ahead of Dasara.

Published - September 21, 2024 03:37 am IST