The state government announced a Rs 3,179 crore Dasara bonus, giving Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) workers a festive windfall. This includes Rs 2,360 crore for around 41,000 permanent employees and Rs 819 crore for nearly 30,000 contract workers, marking one of the biggest payouts in the company’s history.
The announcement builds on SCCL’s strong financial year 2024-25, where the company posted a profit after tax of Rs 6,394 crore, 34% of which will be shared with employees. Each permanent employee will get Rs 1,95,610, while contract workers will receive Rs 5,500, an increase from last year’s Rs 5,000.
The government also disclosed plans to invest Rs 4,034 crore for future expansion, including initiatives to reclaim two coal blocks previously assigned to private firms. There is a stated intent to guard SCCL from increased private participation and to engage unions in decision-making. As part of diversifying operations, SCCL will also explore critical minerals like copper and gold.
Critically, the promised Deepavali bonus will follow later after consultations with Coal India and the Union government. Finance experts and industry watchers say this profit-sharing model reinforces the government’s commitment to labour welfare and bolsters Singareni image as a publicly accountable company: rewarding workers while strengthening its industrial footprint.
