NAGPUR | Jun 19, 2015: In a bid to meet coal production target set by the new government, city-based PSU Western Coalfields Ltd (WCL) has taken on workers to add to its already considerable manpower. As it needs land to expand the mining projects, the company has decided to prefer project affected persons (PAPs) while hiring. This has led to about 1,000 PAPs being absorbed in the company during the last six months.

They have been taken at the entry level package of Rs4 lakh per year on average. This has helped in placating the oustees who have in turn have cooperated in land acquisition process. WCL has paid Rs500 crore as compensation to the PAPs during the same period, said a source in the PSU.

WCL currently produces of 41 million tonnes coal a year and aims to reach 60 million tonnes in five years. For this, a new project is opened each month. So far five new mines have been opened. Its holding company Coal India Ltd (CIL), on the other hand, has a target of 1 billion tonnes a year. The relief and rehabilitation (R&R) policy of CIL subsidiaries calls for offering cash compensation or a job to a family member of each landholder. Even as many opted for jobs, they could not finally get one in the PSU due to the rigid norms. So the families also did not part with the land, the source said.

CIL subsidiaries can modify the R&R policy through a resolution in the board of directors. WCL did so and around 22 aspects were eased. Now the WCL model is being mooted in other subsidiaries too, the source said. This has led to a WCL getting a substantial area under its possession. Though such land was technically acquired, the company could not take the physical possession due to disputes. Unless it gets fresh land, the company will not be able to take up new projects and meet production targets, said a senior officer involved in the process.

In the year 2014-15 the company could take 1370 hectares in its possession, which is five times its yearly average since 2009-10. In the current year, 441 hectares have been taken over till May, a source said.

The total workforce in WCL stands at 50,000. The number would have gone down had the fresh recruitments not been made. Apart from 1000 PAPs, another 500 skilled workers have been appointed for supervisory jobs in the mines. Other members in a PAP's family will also be imparted skill development training so they can take up jobs in ancillaries catering to coal industry, the source said.

(Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/)