State-owned Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd (MCL) has introduced a virtual reality-based programme to provide safety and operational training to its 17,000 workforce by 2026, the ministry of coal said in a statement.
The Coal India subsidiary has earmarked a budget of ₹6.5 crore for skill enhancement among coal miners, it added.
Emphasising on skilled workforce as a key to safe and productive mining operations, Om Prakash Singh, Chairman-cum-Managing Director of MCL stated that regular training and upgradation of skills is required by leveraging cutting-edge technologies to match the advancements and introduction of new technology in mining sector.
MCL plans to upgrade the technical skills of workforce involved in operational activities, to achieve 300 million tonne (MT) coal production by 2026 and enable Coal India Ltd achieve the target of one billion tonne production. VR-based training to the workers would save cost and time, yet provide impartial and auto-generated feedback on the skills attained by the trainees.
Initiated as a step towards digitalisation in business processes, introduction of VR-based training for around 17,000 departmental as well as contract employees will serve as a major initiative for 18 training modules leveraging this modern technology.
Hyderabad based Virtual Reality technology company Concoct Human Resource Practitioners has been entrusted with the job, through competitive bidding at the Government e-Marketplace (GeM), for development of simulated environment and running the training programme in areas like blasting, mine inspection, electrical safety, working, traffic simulation, engine/transmission maintenance etc.
MCL produced over 193 million tonne (MT) of coal in the financial year 2022-23 and dispatched a record 148 MT coal to power plants.
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Updated: 08 Jul 2023, 12:26 AM IST