Coal India’s First All-Women Operated Central Store Unit Inaugurated at SECL Korba

Women Take the Lead in Inventory and Operations Management under Special Campaign 5.0

Korba (Chhattisgarh):
Taking another significant step towards women empowerment, South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL), a subsidiary of Coal India Limited (CIL), today inaugurated Coal India’s first fully women-operated Central Store Unit at its Central Workshop in Korba.

The initiative, launched under the Government of India’s Special Campaign 5.0, follows the successful establishment of Coal India’s first all-women-operated dispensary at Vasant Vihar, Bilaspur earlier this year, and reinforces Coal India’s ongoing commitment to Nari Shakti se Rashtra Shakti.

The new Central Store Unit will handle spare-parts supply and inventory management entirely through a team of eight women officers and staff led by Ms. Sapna Ikka, Senior Manager (E&M) and alumna of IIT (ISM) Dhanbad. Store operations will be conducted through a modern SAP-based digital management system ensuring efficiency and transparency.

The inaugural ceremony began with a traditional lamp-lighting, followed by the ribbon-cutting by Shri Harish Duhan, Chairman-cum-Managing Director, SECL, in the presence of Shri N. Franklin Jaykumar, Director (Technical/Operations); Shri Biranchi Das, Director (HR); Shri R.C. Mahapatra, Director (Technical/Planning & Projects); and Shri Himanshu Jain, Chief Vigilance Officer, SECL. Outstanding female employees were also felicitated on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, CMD Shri Harish Duhan said:

“This initiative marks a new chapter in SECL’s journey of inclusion. After the successful launch of Coal India’s first women-operated dispensary in Bilaspur, we are proud to inaugurate another pioneering step in Korba. Such initiatives align with the vision of the Hon’ble Minister of Coal Shri G. Kishan Reddy ji, who advocates for enhanced participation of women in the coal sector and the creation of leadership opportunities for them.”

Shri G.K. Dwivedi, General Manager (Workshop), delivered the welcome address while Shri Balram Tandon, Staff Officer (HR), proposed the vote of thanks. The event was coordinated by the SECL CWS Korba team.

This all-women Central Store Unit is expected to become a model of inclusive growth in the core industrial sector and inspire similar initiatives across Coal India Limited.
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