Guwahati, March 28: Union minister of coal, mines and parliamentary affairs Pralhad Joshi on Sunday said that the Centre has taken significant steps over the years to make Northeast a driver of India’s economic activities.
“The government under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken significant steps to make North Eastern India a driver of India’s economic activities. Budget allocation to the North-East region has doubled in the past seven years,” Joshi said.
The Union minister also announced various CSR projects of Coal India Limited (CIL) for development of Darrang, an “aspirational district” in Assam.
Visiting the central Assam district as part of a two-day tour to the state, Joshi said that the projects worth Rs 2 crore in Darrang would be implemented by CIL as part of its corporate social responsibility.
“Darrang is one of India’s aspirational districts under the Aspirational districts Programme launched under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. These CSR projects of Coal India Ltd will help in providing better education and healthcare to the people of Darrang,” Joshi said.
Under the CSR projects announced by Joshi, CIL will help construct additional classrooms in 19 government schools of Darrang and take up five projects for improvement of healthcare infrastructure at different government health centres in the aspirational district.
Coal India has either taken up or completed seven CSR projects worth around Rs. 23 crore for inclusive development of Assam in the past five financial years from 2016-17.
Out of these seven projects, four projects, financial assistance for setting up of a solid waste management plant in Kamakhya, promotional and preventive healthcare through increased awareness in rural population, promotion of preventive healthcare and provision of water ambulance in Majuli have been completed.
An MoU for financial assistance for setting up a 40-bed ICU facility at Government Medical Hospital, Silchar has been signed and remaining two projects namely, financial assistance for rehabilitation and livelihood development at Majuli and financial assistance for skill training of 50 students conducted through CIPET Guwahati, are underway.
Coal India’s total project outlay of CSR projects in the Northeast has been over Rs 25 crore in the past five years.
Coal India’s CSR expenditure remained at Rs 554 crore in financial year 2020-21 against the budgeted amount of Rs 434 crore.
Coal India accounts for over 80 per cent of India’s coal production.