Bhubaneswar: Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari instructed companies to accelerate implementation of various Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives to ensure greater public welfare in coal mining areas.
Pujari attended a high-level review meeting on CSR projects at Lok Seva Bhavan Thursday. He emphasised that industries operating in coal-rich districts have both social and moral responsibilities toward local communities.
Districts such as Angul, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, and Sundargarh are key coal mining zones. Major companies, including NTPC, OPGC, NLC, and MCL, depend on these regions for mining and thermal power generation. In this context, the minister stressed that these companies must actively contribute to the development and well-being of the people living in these areas.
Detailed discussions were held regarding ongoing and proposed CSR projects across the four districts. The minister directed companies to ensure funding for a proposed university in Jharsuguda and to expedite land identification so that the project can begin at the earliest.
He also called for mobilising funds and initiating projects such as a cardiac care hospital, a stadium in Lakhanpur, and other welfare initiatives. Further, instructions were issued to ensure release of pending CSR funds, particularly by MCL. Departmental officials were directed to speed up project execution and ensure proper utilisation of funds.
