Not planning to withdraw NLC expansion: Union Minister Pralhad Joshi

Centre not withdrawing NLCIL expansion; 1,827 land-displaced persons given regular employment, 37 PAPs appointed with bonus marks, and ₹75 lakh compensation offered to landowners.

The Centre is not planning to withdraw the proposed expansion of Mines-II of NLC India Limited (NLCIL), the Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Coal and Mines, Pralhad Joshi, has said.

All the mines, including Mine-II, and the power stations are operating to supply electricity to Tamil Nadu and other southern States. Hence, the NLCIL will continue operating the existing mines and thermal power stations, he said, in a written reply to a question from PMK Rajya Sabha member Anbumani Ramadoss.

Dr. Ramadoss had asked whether the government would immediately withdraw the proposed expansion of Mines-II of NLCIL, considering the ambitious target of achieving net zero carbon emissions in the country.

“For the lands acquired by NLCIL between 1977 and 1989, regular employment was provided to 1,827 land-displaced persons, as per a list sponsored by the district administration,” Mr. Joshi said.

Due to the closure of units viz. fertilizer unit, B&C plant and Thermal Power Station I, all the employees working in those units were retained and redeployed to other NLCIL units to meet requirements, he said.

“As per the settlement dated 07/08/2020 under Sec. 12 (3) of Industrial Disputes Act, between the contractor employers and Trade Unions, it has been agreed that 60% of vacancies arising in non-executive category in regular employment on account of superannuation, death, resignation and termination of service, would be filled from the contract workmen, based on the common seniority, as directed by Supreme Court of India, subject to organisational requirements and business scenario,” the Union Minister said.

Accordingly, 1,258 contract workmen, mainly from peripheral villages, including Project Affected Persons (PAPs), were also inducted as regular employees during the past two years, he said.