Bhubaneswar : Tata Steel has taken a historic step to break barriers by operationalising an all-women shift at its Noamundi Iron Mine starting Monday. This initiative, India’s first, underscores the Company’s unwavering commitment to creating an equitable workplace and empowering women in traditionally male-dominated industries.
This shift will comprise women employees for all the mining activities of the shift including Heavy Earth Moving Machinery (HEMM), shovel, loader, drill, dozer operators, and shift supervision.
The all-women shift was flagged off by Shyam Sundar Prasad, Dy. Director General, Mines Safety, SE Region, Ranchi, Jharkhand, marking a new beginning of support of the government in promoting an equitable workplace. Shri Prasad emphasised the commitment of the government to a progressive workplace and mentioned that the decision by DGMS to permit the deployment of women in all shifts in mining in 2019 was a key step n the right direction. He also appreciated Tata Steel’s pioneering effort in taking the lead as a responsible corporate s promoting such causes.
Also, present during the occasion were Rakesh Rameshwar Mishra, Director Mines Safety, Chaibasa, and Sudheer R, Dy. Director Mines Safety, Chaibasa
D B Sundara Ramam, Vice President, Raw Material, Tata Steel, said: “This all-womenshift represents a landmark achievement not only for Tata Steel but also for the Indian mining industry. It is a testament to the resilience and capability of women breaking stereotypes. It is also a reflection of our belief hat diversity and inclusion are essential for driving innovation and operational excellence. We are proud to lead this change and will continue to create more opportunities for women specially in our mining ecosystem: This initiative marks a significant addition to the 100 glorious years of mining at Noamundi.
The journey began in 2019 with the launch of Tata Steel’s flagship diversity initiative, “Women@Mines,” making it the first company in India to deploy women in all shifts at its mines, following the Government of India’s landmark relaxation of the Mines Act, 1952.
