Central Coalfields Limited (CCL) on Wednesday declared 2020 as the Sarvangin Vikas Varsh (a year of all-round development) for the CCL family and project-affected persons.

Chairman and managing director Gopal Singh made the announcement during a news meet at Darbhanga House near Raj Bhavan on the first day of the year.

“This year will be Sarvangin Vikas Varsh for the extended CCL family and project-affected persons. During the year, the company will pay attention to six aspects — education, health, sports, drinking water, employment and the environment,” Singh said.

Singh also used the occasion to list the achievement of his company in 2019.

“Last year, our company was honoured with several national awards for its contribution in the field of sports and CSR (corporate social responsibility) besides carrying out safe-mining activities. The company also produced 68.7 million tonnes of coal, which is 8 per cent higher than the year-ago period, despite the fact that coal reserves of several highly productive mines have been exhausted,” Singh said.

Sharing the company’s contribution towards water conservation, Singh said CCL’s 88 abandoned open cast mines contain 25 billion gallons of water.

“We supply water to 74 villages from our abandoned open-cast mines. The entire Giridih area depends on our water,” Singh said, adding that the company will take up more initiatives in this direction.

The CCL chairman claimed that over 50,000 children were being educated in schools running in the company’s command area.

“The company also prepares students for IITs free of cost,” the CMD Singh added.