Telangana Dy CM Bhatti vows to protect Singareni, diversify into critical minerals

Hyderabad, Aug 24 (TNT): Telangana Deputy Chief Minister and Energy Minister Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu on Monday said the state government was committed to protecting Singareni Collieries Company Limited and transforming it into a profitable, world-class mining enterprise by diversifying beyond coal.

Addressing Singareni union leaders who felicitated him at the Secretariat here, Bhatti said the government was taking steps to secure the company’s long-term future and prevent it from facing a crisis due to excessive dependence on coal.

He said Singareni had suffered losses during the previous government due to failure to acquire new coal blocks and closure of existing mines.

The present government, led by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, worked to secure the Naini Coal Block for Singareni to ensure its long-term viability, he said.

Bhatti said the state had also secured the mining lease for the Tadicherla-2 Coal Block, which had been re-assigned to Singareni in 2013, after pursuing the matter with the Centre.

The government also persuaded GENCO and facilitated Singareni’s participation in the auction for the Manuguru Deep Side Block-2, he said.

The Deputy Chief Minister said he had personally visited Odisha and held discussions with the state government, local representatives and people to resolve issues concerning the Naini block and facilitate its development.

He cautioned that global dependence on coal and thermal power could decline as renewable energy sources such as solar and wind expand.

“If Singareni continues to depend only on coal, there is a risk of it falling behind like BSNL,” Bhatti said, stressing the need for diversification.

He said the government was encouraging Singareni to explore critical minerals, including copper, graphite, lithium and cobalt.

International consultants had been appointed to study mining opportunities in countries including South Africa, Brazil, Australia and Chile, he said.

Singareni has also participated in an auction and secured a gold mine in Karnataka, Bhatti said, adding that the mine would provide a future source of revenue once commercial operations begin.

With around 43,000 to 45,000 permanent employees and nearly 30,000 contract and outsourced workers, Singareni should aggressively pursue mining opportunities within Telangana, elsewhere in India and overseas, he said.

Bhatti said the government’s objective was to transform Singareni, which has more than a century of experience in the mining sector, into an organisation on the lines of NTPC and a globally competitive institution.

Irrigation Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy said Singareni was progressing under Bhatti’s leadership through the opening of new mines, expansion of business activities and implementation of new projects.

He assured the organisation of the government’s support in making Singareni one of the country’s leading public sector enterprises and said the company was an institution every Telangana citizen could be proud of.

Singareni Recognised Workers’ Union President Vasireddy Seetharamaiah, Representative Workers’ Union Secretary General Janak Prasad and Officers’ Association President Lakshmipathi Goud praised Bhatti for his efforts in securing the Naini Coal Block.

They said Bhatti’s visit to Odisha and discussions with the state government and local representatives helped resolve issues relating to the block. Production at Naini commenced last year and the first rake of coal from the block was transported to Singareni this month, they said.

The union leaders also credited the state government with securing the Tadicherla-2 mining lease and enabling Singareni to participate in coal block auctions, including the Manuguru Deep Side-2 block.

They alleged that the previous BRS government had prevented Singareni from participating in coal block auctions, resulting in the loss of two important mines.

The union leaders said the government was now seeking to transform Singareni from a coal-focused company into a diversified international mining enterprise with a presence in critical minerals.

They also welcomed measures for workers’ welfare, including bonuses for contract workers and raising the maximum age for dependent employment from 35 to 40 years.

Several leaders of recognised, representative and officers’ unions from different Singareni areas attended the felicitation programme.

TNT TS