In a landmark move to promote women’s leadership in core industrial sectors, South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL), a subsidiary of Coal India Limited (CIL), has inaugurated its first fully women-operated Central Store Unit at the Central Workshop in Korba.

The initiative, launched under the Government of India’s Special Campaign 5.0, builds on SECL’s earlier success of establishing Coal India’s first all-women-operated dispensary in Bilaspur, reaffirming the company’s long-term commitment to the vision of ‘Nari Shakti se Rashtra Shakti’ (Women’s Power as National Power).

The new Central Store Unit will manage spare parts supply and inventory operations, fully handled by a team of eight women officers and staff, led by Ms Sapna Ikka, Senior Manager (E&M) and alumna of IIT (ISM) Dhanbad. The unit operates on a modern SAP-based digital platform ensuring efficient and transparent record management.

The inauguration ceremony began with a traditional lamp-lighting, followed by the formal ribbon-cutting by Shri Harish Duhan, Chairman-cum-Managing Director, SECL. The event was attended by 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 women employees from the workshop were also felicitated for their contributions.

Speaking at the event, Shri Duhan said the initiative marks a progressive step towards inclusive growth within Coal India. “After the success of the women-operated dispensary at Bilaspur, we are proud to see women managing a core operational unit at Korba. Such efforts echo the vision of Union Minister of Coal G. Kishan Reddy, who has been advocating greater participation and leadership of women in the coal sector,” he stated.