Coal India unions to make up for output loss of 1 MT: Goyal

Coal workers had last night called off their five-day nationwide strike after two days following the intervention of the govt

Coal India (CIL) trade unions have assured the government that they will try to make up for the loss in production of about one million tonnes on account of workers strike which was called off yesterday, Coal and Power Minister Piyush Goyal said today.

"They have assured me that they will be part of mission 100 crores tonnes (Coal India's production by 2019-20) and they have assured me that they will make up for the loss of production of about a million tonne," Goyal said.

He said this while presenting the report card on first 200 days of the working of the ministries of Coal, Power and Renewable Energy.

Coal workers had last night called off their five-day nationwide strike after two days following the intervention of the government.

Goyal said that the unions have also assured complete cooperation in the future as well.

"At the outset nobody is divided. All five of them (trade unions) sat with us. We had a very healthy exchange of views, ideas, discussions...I believe that all five unions have gone back satisfied that the steps being taken by the union government are in the interest of the nation, are in the interest of workmen of Coal India Ltd," he said.

He stated that the discussion with the unions were very fruitful and healthy and added that "I see before me a very bright future for Coal India."

The government had last night assured trade unions that CIL will not be privatised and the employees' interest will be protected.

Nearly five lakh coal workers had gone on a strike on Tuesday after five major trade unions, including BJP-backed Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, gave a call for the biggest ever industrial action in four decades against what they called attempts for "disinvestment in Coal India and denationalisation of coal mining".

"There is no intention of denationalisation of CIL. The present and future interest of CIL employees will not be affected in any manner. CIL will be protected and there need be no apprehension about its ownership or management going into private hands," Goyal had said yesterday.

The five-day strike was called off midway after Goyal assured the union leaders that the government will look into their concerns and will form a committee, headed by a Joint Secretary, that will have representation from all five trade unions and officials of CIL and Singareni Collieries Company Ltd.