NMDC has some of the most mineral rich mines of india, but due to their location, employees have to live far from inhabitation and in the dreaded naxal belt. that makes nmdc’s endeavour to provide them a good quality of life truly challenging. Deepak Ranjan Patra reports...
Moving from the hustle and bustle of city life to uncover the true essence of India is undoubtedly an experience I look forward to. This is the part of India that I have read and heard about, but haven’t really witnessed. But in the context of the National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) township, my excitement was tempered with a sense of fear. After all, my destination was a place that had gained an unenviable reputation as being a happy hunting ground for Maoists. I was going to a township situated less than an hour’s drive from the Naxal-infected Dantewada town of Chattisgarh. The journey was no cakewalk either, from Delhi to Raipur (1,400 km) by train and then another 400 km by bus through the forests and hilly roads of Chattisgarh. The exhaustion finally got the better of me and I slept through the bus journey. When I got up, at my destination, I was in for a pleasant surprise. We were in the middle of a nicely built and well maintained precinct. One has to literally see it to believe that such a place exists inside the forests of Dantewada district.
Our first stop was the Kirandul Complex, a part of NMDC’s twin township at Bailadila Iron Ore Mines (BIOM) situated just 10 km away from the other township Bacheli (also owned by NMDC). They may seem like two small townships housing about 30,000 people, but their contribution to NMDC is a lot larger. Combined together, the mines (under Bacheli and Kirandul) with ore deposits woven around the hills and forests of the Bastar area (once known as Dandakaranya) produce almost 22 million tonnes of iron ore every year; 75% of the company’s annual iron ore mining. BIOM also has one of the largest reserves under the possession of NMDC, with nearly 1200 MT of high grade iron ore distributed over 14 deposits (5 are active at present and the company is in process to start a few more). However, not only has BIOM contributed to NMDC’s swelling pockets, but the range, called ‘The hump of an Ox’ in the local dialect, has also got a fair share in return.
After deposit 14 was commissioned in 1968, this remote and inaccessible area gradually sprung in to life. Over the last four decades, both Kirandul and Bacheli have transformed themselves from colonies of temporary houses (with a small number of employees) in the multitudes of tribal villages to full-fledged townships. O. P. Jha, who has been working at Kirandul since the late 1970s and is about to retire next month, tells me, “This township has given us everything. It sets high standards of life. It has provided the best of the educational platform to my children and now my son is at a good post in Ranchi.”
Both Kirandul and Bacheli have four schools each starting from Kendriya Vidyalaya, DAV to their own project school catering to various educational boards and suitable for people from different economic strata. Despite being situated far from inhabitation, these schools are no less than any modern school present in Delhi or Mumbai. KV Bacheli, which has 818 students, has all its departments connected through LAN, has a modern computer lab with all possible facilities. And students passing out from these schools have proved themselves to be equally competitive, if not better, as compared to students anywhere; when it comes to securing berths in IITs or finding a job in US. And that’s not the best part of it. Both the townships have educational facilities till 12th grade. So students have to go outside for higher studies. To overcome the problem, NMDC provides scholarships towards both educational expenses and hostel expenses irrespective of the working parent’s position in the company. Rajesh Sandhu, Secretary of Sanyukt Khadan Majdoor Sangh, Kirandul puts it thus, “This is perhaps one such place where even the son of a workman can become a doctor and get a job abroad.”
Sports is another avenue where the township has shown excdeptional performance. Though NMDC has not given an entry in sports quota for quite some time now, these townships have become a breeding ground for young sportsmen, especially footballers. In the last few years, nearly half a dozen players like Suraj Mandal and Dev Kumar Alam have represented the state in the Santosh Trophy. They feel that “availability of proper grounds, related facilities and a great support from the people of the townships have made them move ahead.” However, they also feel that better and more sportsmen can come forward if the company also starts providing players the facilities that they could have got anywhere else under the sports quota.
Our first stop was the Kirandul Complex, a part of NMDC’s twin township at Bailadila Iron Ore Mines (BIOM) situated just 10 km away from the other township Bacheli (also owned by NMDC). They may seem like two small townships housing about 30,000 people, but their contribution to NMDC is a lot larger. Combined together, the mines (under Bacheli and Kirandul) with ore deposits woven around the hills and forests of the Bastar area (once known as Dandakaranya) produce almost 22 million tonnes of iron ore every year; 75% of the company’s annual iron ore mining. BIOM also has one of the largest reserves under the possession of NMDC, with nearly 1200 MT of high grade iron ore distributed over 14 deposits (5 are active at present and the company is in process to start a few more). However, not only has BIOM contributed to NMDC’s swelling pockets, but the range, called ‘The hump of an Ox’ in the local dialect, has also got a fair share in return.
After deposit 14 was commissioned in 1968, this remote and inaccessible area gradually sprung in to life. Over the last four decades, both Kirandul and Bacheli have transformed themselves from colonies of temporary houses (with a small number of employees) in the multitudes of tribal villages to full-fledged townships. O. P. Jha, who has been working at Kirandul since the late 1970s and is about to retire next month, tells me, “This township has given us everything. It sets high standards of life. It has provided the best of the educational platform to my children and now my son is at a good post in Ranchi.”
Both Kirandul and Bacheli have four schools each starting from Kendriya Vidyalaya, DAV to their own project school catering to various educational boards and suitable for people from different economic strata. Despite being situated far from inhabitation, these schools are no less than any modern school present in Delhi or Mumbai. KV Bacheli, which has 818 students, has all its departments connected through LAN, has a modern computer lab with all possible facilities. And students passing out from these schools have proved themselves to be equally competitive, if not better, as compared to students anywhere; when it comes to securing berths in IITs or finding a job in US. And that’s not the best part of it. Both the townships have educational facilities till 12th grade. So students have to go outside for higher studies. To overcome the problem, NMDC provides scholarships towards both educational expenses and hostel expenses irrespective of the working parent’s position in the company. Rajesh Sandhu, Secretary of Sanyukt Khadan Majdoor Sangh, Kirandul puts it thus, “This is perhaps one such place where even the son of a workman can become a doctor and get a job abroad.”
Sports is another avenue where the township has shown excdeptional performance. Though NMDC has not given an entry in sports quota for quite some time now, these townships have become a breeding ground for young sportsmen, especially footballers. In the last few years, nearly half a dozen players like Suraj Mandal and Dev Kumar Alam have represented the state in the Santosh Trophy. They feel that “availability of proper grounds, related facilities and a great support from the people of the townships have made them move ahead.” However, they also feel that better and more sportsmen can come forward if the company also starts providing players the facilities that they could have got anywhere else under the sports quota.
Source : IIPM Editorial, 2012.
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri
and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).
For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
Prof. Rajita Chaudhuri's Website
domain-b.com : IIPM ranked ahead of IIMs
Arindam Chaudhuri's Portfolio - he is at his candid best by Society Magazine
IIPM Best B School India
Management Guru Arindam Chaudhuri
Rajita Chaudhuri-The New Age Woman
IIPM's Management Consulting Arm-Planman Consulting
Professor Arindam Chaudhuri - A Man For The Society....
IIPM: Indian Institute of Planning and Management
IIPM makes business education truly global
IIPM B-School Detail
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri
and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).
For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
Prof. Rajita Chaudhuri's Website
domain-b.com : IIPM ranked ahead of IIMs
Arindam Chaudhuri's Portfolio - he is at his candid best by Society Magazine
IIPM Best B School India
Management Guru Arindam Chaudhuri
Rajita Chaudhuri-The New Age Woman
IIPM's Management Consulting Arm-Planman Consulting
Professor Arindam Chaudhuri - A Man For The Society....
IIPM: Indian Institute of Planning and Management
IIPM makes business education truly global
IIPM B-School Detail
