NLC is giving educational allowance to the employees for their Son/Daughter pursuing school education and also gives annual merit scholarships for the merotorius ward of employees undergoing college education.

The long felt need for a college in this industrial town was fulfilled with the opening of “Jawahar Science College” in 1987. This college also serves the neighborhood students from the surrounding villages apart from the wards of Employees.

NLC LIBRARY

NLC Library, located in the center of the township is doing a tremendous educational service over several decades. This library, having more than one lakh books, has a membership of about 1500 people. The unique feature of this library is its mobile service which is serving all parts of Neyveli and helpful to the surrounding villages also.

MEDICAL CARE

Comprehensive Medical Care Facilities

The company's vision to build healthy, efficient and productive human resource determine the top lines of its health care policy and programmes. The health care package in NLC unfolds a mix of alopatic, ayurvedic, rehabilitative and health promotional programmes to the health and well-being around 19,000 employees and their family members and the surrounding villages.

NLC General Hospital is a large 369 bed comprehensive hospital and was founded in the year 1960. it was the first corporate hospital designed exclusively for protecting, promoting the health, vitality of its employees. The general hospital house OP clinics in different specialties, in-patient service units, Theatre complexes, Diagnostic facilities , O&G unit,Renal care unit,Engineering support services an exclusive In-house Occupational Health Service Units.

In addition to full-time doctors in different specialties, Resident doctors, nurses and the supporting clinical, house keeping and administrative team share the vision of NLC hospital and help translating the same into quality medical care for the employees and their dependants.and the timely

Another feature of Medical care system in NLC is the Occupation Health service programme. The mandated OHS programme which is functioning in NLC meeting the statutory requirement of Director General of Mines safety(DGMS) performs Periodic Medical Examination of employees, prep placement examinations and a host of proactive health care measures to preserve and promote the vitality, wellbeing and replenish energy among the employees both executives and workers alike.

Public health measures and improved hygiene in Neyveli decreased the exposure to bacterial, viral infections and the timely administering of anti-biotics and vaccines have reduced the spread of infectious diseases significantly. Today, the infectious diseases have dropped far down the morbidity list.

CULTURAL ACTIVITIES – Unity in diversity

The large township full of families from different states and speaking different languages makes in a ‘Mini Bharat'. Cultural activities in all languages are encouraged and cultural body coordinates the activities of various groups.

RECREATIONAL FACILITIES – A sound mind in a sound body

Lignite city club, Town club & ladies club provide cultural and recreational facilities ( both indoor and outdoor ). The latest addition to the lignite city club is the modernized health club, a fully equipped Air-conditioned gymnasium with state-of-the-art equipment.

Two swimming pools with the international standards are producing a lot of gold medallists at the national and state levels.

A large green topped outdoor stadium, named after the poet Bharathi with the seating capacity of about 4000 is available for the promotion of sports and cultural activities.

In the colonies where the employee reside, community welfare centers with reading rooms, radio and T.V, Children's park, play grounds are provided.

Jawaharlal Nehru Centenary park, children's park and Elders park in Neyveli atrtract a lot of people including children for entertainment.

Eight community halls are provided for celebrating social and religious functions and are given at a concessional rate to the employees. A modern indoor Auditorium, ‘Lignite hall' is located at the center of township in which various cultural events, Book fair, Safety week celebrations are held.

SPORTS

Sports as a morale booster and a laurel winner have been greatly encouraged. NLC sports persons have represented India in International competitions. More than 100 awards have been received in competitions at District, State, National and International levels.

From the time of inception NLC has bagged a number of awards in the fields of production, safety, environment, education, import substitution, industrial relations, community developments, small savings, Medical etc.,

•  Prime Minister's MOU award for being rated as ‘Excellent' against MOU targets in the year 1998-99
•  Every year Neyveli Thermal Power Stations bag productivity awards and incentive awards for reduction in specific fuel consumption and achieving maximum production from Govt.of India.
•  Indo-German Greentech Environment Excellence award, Indira Priyadarshini Vrikshmitra award, FICCI award and Goenka award for maintaining eco-friendly environment in Neyveli.
•  Best enterprise award presented by forum of women in public sector (WIPS)
•  Best public sector award from Indian Institute of industrial engineering (IIIE)
•  Neyveli Mines and Thermal stations regularly win the safety awards presented by Government of India & Government of Tamilnadu
•  All India best pay roll group savings award in Public sectors.
•  Fly ash utilization awards from Council of power utilities
•  Three Head masters from Neyveli schools have bagged National best teacher awards
•  Tamilnadu Government's award in recognition of providing suitable job opportunities to the handicapped persons in large numbers
•  Import substitution award from Government of India
•  Tamilnadu Government's award for maintaining good industrial relation
•  NLC General hospital has been awarded the status of ‘Baby-friendly Hospital'

Future Projects :

NLC is poised for a rapid growth in terms of the mining and power generation during the X Plan period. GOI has approved a plan outlay of Rs.14133.58 Crores for various projects during the X Plan period. NLC has proposed to meet the fund requirements out of internal accruals and market borrowing.

The following are the future planned expansion activities of NLC in the Mining and Power sector:

Mine-II Expansion:

With regard to Mine-II Expansion Project of 4.5 Million Tonnes of lignite at a cost of Rs.2161.28 Crores and its linked Thermal Power Station-II Expansion (2 x 250 MW) Power Plant at a cost of Rs.2030.78 Crores at Neyveli, Public Investment Board (PIB) had considered the projects and recommended to place before the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA). GOI sanction is awaited.

In respect of Rajasthan Mine (2.1 Million Tonnes of Lignite) cum Power Projects (2 x 125 MW) at a cost of Rs.1347.76 Crores, all statutory clearances including MOE&F (EMP) clearance obtained and is awaiting PIB clearance.

Further, the following projects are proposed to be taken up by NLC during the X Five Year Plan.

NLC is using continuous mining technology deploying bucket wheel excavators, spreaders, mobile transfer conveyers and conveyers. The over burden is handled by four systems namely 1) surface bench system, 2) top bench system, 3) middle bench system & 4) bottom bench system. In each bench a system of equipments, namely BWEs, MTCs, Spreaders & connecting conveyor system are deployed to handle a specified height of the over burden soil. The BWEs cut the soil and loads on the conveyor system at times using the MTC. The mass transported by the conveyor system are transmitted to spreader for dumping the soil (inside dumping or outside dumping).

The conveyor system is categorized depending upon the width of the belt and as well as based type of materials used for construction.

Human Resourse Development:

HRD scenario at NLC can be best described taking into consideration the diverse production process involved and the efforts of the employees in learning by themselves many skills in trade and professionalism, which is its strength today and reflected in its high earnings growth.

NLC firmly believes in the adage “learning occurs at all times”. All employees are providing opportunity on a wholesome approach to develop their potential and use it in achieving corporate goals. this is done on a 3-tyre system; in-house, deputation and foreign training. NLC adopts the process of “LAB to LAND” and vice versa in selectingthe subjects for training and the target participants, whereby, human resource development has become a continuous process giving the desired result in the application of learning on the job.

Each year, the annual training plan is prepared after taking into consideration of the following factors:

The training is imparted to employees and through the different schemes.

A) IN-HOUSE TRAINING PROGRAMMES: For updating skills to meet technological and social changes and to keep all individuals in operatable conditions, number of short duration “in house programmes” are conducted.

•  Community development programme
•  Environment & economic development programme
•  Functional development programme
•  General programme
•  Individual development programme
•  Industrial health care and personality development programme
•  IT / Computer related programme
•  Material management programme
•  Organization development and industrial psychology programme
•  Productivity oriented programme
•  Safety, fire and hazard related programme
•  Skill development programme.
•  Technical programme.

B)  DEPUTATION TRAINING (WITHIN INDIA): Employees in certain key result areas are selected and sent for training in institutes like NITIE, IIMs:NPCs; State and central labor institutes; ASCI, Hyderabad, MDI, Gurgoan, etc.to gain advanced and latest knowledge on technology & science. This has helped us to achieve two pronged motivation strategy of updating individuals knowledge and skills, besides helping employees acquire additional inputs of updated knowledge through interaction with their counterparts.

C)  FOREIGN TRAINING: To acquire specialized “Know-How” and “Know-why” skills of design, erection, operation and maintenance of equipments and machinery, selective workers, supervisors, executives in key areas are sent abroad for training.

D) INDUCTION TRAINING: Graduate engineers, executive trainees (financial, personnel, etc.) and diploma engineers are recruited and covered through a one year training period covering a six month comprehensive modular training programme and on-the-job training. upon successful completion and evaluation, they are, then placed in the respective cadre.

E) WORKERS EDUCATION SCHEME: The scheme's objective is to look for the improvement of worker's individual and group competence and the advancement of social economical and cultural interest so that he could become a mature , wise and responsible citizen of the company. Each programme runs for 2 weeks followed with one week industrial tour.

F) STATUTORY TRAINING: As per the statutory requirement under the apprenticeship act 1961, training for ITI holders, diploma and graduate engineers of different trades/ disciplines are undertaken. About 400 apprentice per annum, in 11 trades, are provided apprenticeship training with reference to their grades/ discipline. Relevant workshop facilities for conducting practical training, and sufficient class rooms for conducting R1 classes are provided in the campus.

At present 150 graduate engineers and 125 diploma engineers, are also being engaged under the apperenticeship act and they are being provided on-the-job training of 1 year duration. A specialized training programme of 12 days and 9 days duration respectively is being conducted to take care of them.

G) SUPPLIERS/MANUFAVTURERS PROGRAMME: Regular workshops / seminars / symposium are allowed to be conducted at NLC training complex by various manufacturers and suppliers related to NLC, to share their information on design of new products, systems and procedures for the total benefit of the executives. This service training programme is entirely sponsored by supplier. on an average about 25-30 companies share their latest information with our employees, every year.

H) HINDI LITERACY PROGRAMME: An opportunity has been given to NLC employees to learn Hindi during 2003. under the scheme, an employee has to register for the particular batch and attend 60 hours class (2 hours daily). After appearing for examination, the employee will be issued with a certificate. More than 12 batches have been covered.

Training for outside participants

Since 1999, a new scheme, inter-organization training programmme (IOTP), has been introduced, with the objective of improving organization culture and sharing of work knowledge, through interaction. For these incompany programmes, nominations of participants from nearby organizations are also called for, along with our NLC employees.

Infrastructural facilities at training complex

For fulfilling the requirements of training&development activities, a 300seat a/c auditorium, computer lab, 9 lecture halls, 4 a/c conference halls, 12 double-bedded rooms at executive guest house, a technical library, dining hall etc has been provided at training complex, block-20, neyveli-3. a canteen, adjacent to dining hall, run by the training complex canteen welfare association meets all the requirements of catering for programmes and other activities. Latest audiovisual equipments like LCD Projectors, OHPs, slide projectors, direct projectors, cordless mike system, TV, VCR, DVD player, etc. are also available. A EDP center for training data upkeep, slide preparation for faculty and reading material preparation for participants is also maintained.

POST-RETIREMENT MEDICAL ASSISTANCE TO RETIRED EMPLOYEES OF N.L.C

1. All the employees of NLC who have retired on reaching the age of Superannuation, after rendering a continuous service of not less than 10 years in NLC, will be eligible for the benefits under the scheme. The term “Retirement” will also include retirement under Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) approved by the company.
2. In respect of employees transferred from other Public Sector Enterprises including those who have been appointed to the Board Level positions in NLC, their service rendered with the previous employees(s) will also be taken into account for the purpose of reckoning the service period of 10 years. Such retired employees and their spouses will be eligible for the medical benefits under the scheme.
3. The spouse of the retired employee will continue to avail the benefit even after the death of the retired employee.

CATEGORIES EXCLUDED FROM THE SCOPE OF THE SCHEME:

The benefits under the scheme will not be applicable to:

1. Retired employees who are included as dependants and who claim dependency on any other employee working in NLC and whose names are included in the Medical Identity Book issued to the employee concerned.
2. The retired employees who are availing the Medical facilities as a dependant of any other employee working in Government/Public Sector Enterprises etc.
3. Employees who have resigned or who have been dismissed from service for acts/omissions involving

•  Violent or riotous behaviour in the premises of establishment.
•  Any misconduct involving moral turpitude.

EXEMPTION CLAUSE:

In case a retired employee whose ward is employed in NLC wishes to enroll himself (and his spouse), it will be allowed provided:

•  The ward surrender the Medical Treatment Book(s) issued in the name of the parents as dependants.

•  They certify that they will not seek any other benefit(s) such as LTA.LTC etc. that are in vouge/may be announced by the NLC from time to time, for which the retired employee and spouse are eligible as dependants of their ward.

•  The change once made is irrevocable.

REGISTRATION FOR AVAILING THE BENEFITS:

•  Employees who have retired and their spouses will have to register themselves by remitting a registration fee of Rs.100/- for both the employees and his/her spouse, through Demand Draft drawn in favour of N.L.C. Limited, Neyveli. In case there is only one member (retired employee or spouse), the registration fee will be Rs.50/- only.

•  This registration have to be renewed every year (for which a renewal fee of Rs.50/- will be deducted from the amount payable towards the Medical Assistance). The membership will be deemed to have been expired if the member/spouse fails to renew the membership on or before 31 st March every year and no benefit under Pose-Retirement Medical Assistance Scheme will be extended during that financial year.

•  Retired employee or the spouse of a retired employee (in case of death of the retired employee) who intends to avail the facility under the scheme shall apply in the prescribed format, after surrendering the Medical Identity Book issued by the Company while in service.

•  Thereafter, new Medical Identity Card (M.I.C.) with specific number will be issued in the name of the retired employee / spouse. The card is a permanent one and will be retained in the office. Details of all renewals and assistance / reimbursement will be entered in the Medical Identity Card.

•  BENEFITS UNDER THE SCHEME:

MEDICAL REIMBURSEMENT:

In respect of specialized / advance treatment with or without surgical intervention, involving heart, kidney, lungs, brain, eye, spine, knee or any other organ of the body and treatment for Cancer, reimbursement will be decided by the management on its merits. In the cases, which are accepted by the Management, the cost of treatment (excluding the diet charges etc.) up to 50% of the actual expenditure or Rs.50,000/- whichever is less, will be reimbursed. Reimbursement will not be given for routine health checkup, blood, urine checkup, X-Ray, Dental checkup etc.

•  The management reserves the right to amend or withdraw the scheme at its discretion as the circumstances may warrant.

Lignite deposits in India occur mostly in Sub surface deposits and as part of tertiary formation. Their deposits of occurrence vary from 100 met to depths of deeper than 300 met. The major Lignite deposit in India are in the state Tamilnadu, Rajasthan, Gujarat, J&K and Kerala. Explorations in identifying the Lignite occurrence in the above states has been conducted in various stages.