High employee costs prompt Coal India to keep off new mines

NEW DELHI: Coal India will not start new coal mines that require handing out large-scale employment against land acquisition and will invest Rs 1.26 lakh crore on technology upgradation by March 2024 to improve efficiency as it braces for private competition. Coal India chairman Pramod Agrawal said he also plans to more than halve the company’s employee strength to about 100,000 from 265,000 now over the next 6-7 years and close down mines that