Nagpur: The largest open cast project in the Western Coalfields Limited (WCL) at Penganga with a production capacity of four-million tonne per year will be inaugurated on Sunday. Besides two other mines, Makardhokra open cast and Bhanegaon open cast having a capacity of 2-million tonne and one million tonne respectively will be formally dedicated to the nation.
Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal, who will be the Chief guest, will be opening these projects, which will add 70 Lakh tonnes per year to coal production in Maharashtra. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Union Minister for Shipping and Transport, Nitin Gadkari and Union Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers Hansraj Ahir are also expected to attend the function, a WCL release said here today.
About 60 lakh tonnes of Coal from these projects will be supplied to power plants for generation of electricity and about 10 lakh tonnes of coal will be supplied to other consumers in Maharashtra.
It is expected to generate direct employment opportunities to more than 1000 persons. Additional royalty and taxes to the tune of Rs 378 Crore per year will be paid by WCL which includes Rs 171 Crore per year to Maharashtra government and about Rs 207 Crore per year to the Central government.
With opening of these projects large number of indirect employment opportunities will also be generated for the villages surrounding these mines, it said. Infrastructure like roads, schools, medical facilities drinking water etc, will be strengthened in the surrounding villages with the CSR programmes of WCL. The quality of life of people of the surrounding villages will improve which will bring positive change in the lives of people living in and around the area, the release added.
