South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL), Bilaspur in Chattisgarh, has exceeded the statutory budget allocated for corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities in the project areas in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. SECL has 64 coal mines in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. Of these, 39 are in Chattisgarh, and the rest are in Madhya Pradesh.
A company spokesperson said SECL had approved ?170 crore for various CSR projects in the financial year 2024-25 (FY25). The initiatives will significantly boost health, education, and skill development infrastructure in the coalfields’ region, the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson added that the allocation surpasses SECL’s statutory CSR budget of ?99.76 crore for FY25. The projects will be implemented over the next 2-3 years according to respective agreements, and Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) worth ?77 crore were already signed in 2025.
Biranchi Das, director (personnel) of SECL, said, “These CSR initiatives reflect SECL’s unwavering commitment to the communities we serve. We believe in empowering communities through education, healthcare, and skill development and these CSR projects are designed to create a positive and lasting impact on the lives of people residing in the coalfield areas.”
A key initiative includes a ?48.19 crore MoU with the National Institute of Technology in Raipur, for the construction of a 500-bed girls’ hostel, fully funded by SECL.
Other significant projects approved by SECL include providing a 3.0 Tesla MRI machine for Late Bisahu Das Mahant Memorial Medical College in Korba that would cost around ?28.08 crore and earmarking ?30.92 crore financial assistance to the Vidisha district administration in Madhya Pradesh, for addressing malnutrition and stunting, and screening for anemia and sickle cell anemia.
SECL has launched the second phase of its flagship project, SECL ki Dhadkan, which is an extension of Coal India ka Nanha Sa Dil.
“Under SECL Ki Dhadkan programme, 60 surgeries for children with congenital heart defects have been successfully performed,” Das said. SECL approved ?4.71 crore to treat over 300 children across Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, he added.
