Using advanced technologies our goal is to increase underground coal production : Satish Chandra Dubey
“Target of 100 million tonnes of coal production from underground mines by 2030 using technologies like Continuous Miner”
On the second day of SECL visit, Union Minister of State for Coal and Mines Shri Satish Chandra Dubey visits SECL’s Baikunthpur Area; inaugurates a new Continuous Miner in Chirimiri Area and Main Mechanical Ventilator at Churcha Mine in Baikunthpur
On the second day of his two-day visit to South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL), the Hon’ble Union Minister of State for Coal and Mines, Government of India, Shri Satish Chandra Dubey, visited the Baikunthpur Area today, 01 July 2025.
During the visit, the Hon’ble Minister virtually inaugurated a new Continuous Miner machine at the NCPH Mine in SECL’s Chirimiri Area and flagged off the machine.
Speaking on the occasion, he said that the Ministry of Coal is working towards enhancing underground coal production through adoption of new and advanced technologies. “Our target is to achieve 100 million tonnes of coal production from underground mines by 2030, and we are promoting technologies like Continuous Miner in more and more mines to reach this goal. The commissioning of this new low-height Continuous Miner at SECL will definitely strengthen the company’s underground production.”
Shri Dubey added that under the leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, electricity has reached every household in the country in the past decade — a feat made possible due to the contributions of coal miners. He appreciated the growing participation of women in the coal sector, working shoulder-to-shoulder with men and carving a space for themselves.
On arrival the Hon’ble Minister received a grand welcome at the venue with traditional Saila dance by the local community.
He began his visit by planting a sapling at the Churcha Mine campus as part of the “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” campaign.
He then inaugurated the Main Mechanical Ventilator (MMV) at Churcha Mine. This new ventilator will ensure clean airflow up to the Last Ventilation Connection (LVC) in the mine, thereby providing better working conditions for the underground workforce.
In a significant step toward women empowerment, the Minister also inaugurated bio-toilets for female employees working in the mine.
Later, in a felicitation ceremony, the Hon’ble Minister honoured outstanding employees of the area, particularly women staff and contract workers, boosting their morale.
On this occasion, SECL CMD Shri Harish Duhan, Director (Technical – Operations & Project/Planning) Shri N. Franklin Jayakumar, Director (HR) Shri Biranchi Das, Director (Finance) Shri D. Sunil Kumar, CVO Shri Himanshu Jain, Baikunthpur Area GM Shri B.N. Jha, Hon’ble Baikunthpur MLA Shri Bhaiyalal Rajwade, District Collector Smt. Chandan Sanjay Tripathi (IAS), District SP Shri Ravi Kumar Kurre (IPS), and other senior officials were present.
