New Delhi: The Ministry of Coal has notified South Eastern Coalfields Limited's (SECL) flagship Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative, 'SECL Ke Sushrut', in the Gazette of India, making it the first CSR scheme of any coal public sector undertaking (PSU) to receive such a notification.
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The gazette notification enables Aadhaar authentication for beneficiaries under the provisions of the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016, and the Aadhaar Authentication for Good Governance (Social Welfare, Innovation and Knowledge) Rules, 2020.
According to the ministry, the notification will facilitate transparent, efficient and targeted delivery of benefits through voluntary Aadhaar authentication, while also allowing beneficiaries who opt not to use Aadhaar to establish their identity through alternative government-approved documents.
Launched by SECL in 2023, SECL Ke Sushrut is the company's flagship CSR programme that provides free residential coaching for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) to meritorious students from SECL's operational areas, helping them pursue careers in medicine and allied healthcare.
The programme has recorded strong outcomes since its inception. In the inaugural 2023-24 batch, 39 of the 40 enrolled students qualified the NEET examination. Of these, 11 secured admission to MBBS courses, while others gained admission to BDS, BAMS, Bachelor of Physiotherapy (BPTH) and Veterinary programmes in government colleges across Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.
The second batch (2024-25) also delivered encouraging results, with 31 of the 40 students qualifying NEET and securing admissions to MBBS, BDS, BAMS and Bachelor of Fisheries Science (B.F.Sc.) programmes in government institutions.
The Ministry of Coal said the Gazette notification strengthens the institutional framework of the initiative by enhancing transparency, accountability and ease of access for beneficiaries.
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The ministry also noted that SECL Ke Sushrut had earlier become the first and only CSR scheme of any coal PSU to be listed on the Government of India's Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) Portal, underscoring its technology-enabled governance framework and alignment with the government's vision of transparent service delivery.
Through the initiative, SECL aims to create educational opportunities for talented students from mining communities while contributing to the country's healthcare ecosystem by nurturing future medical professionals.
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