Coal CPSEs Turn Waste Into Wealth: ₹53.94 Crore Generated Through Cleanliness Drive

When the Ministry of Coal launched Special Campaign 6, few anticipated the scale of transformation it would bring. What began as a drive for cleanliness and efficiency has evolved into a story of innovation, inclusivity, and social responsibility — a campaign that speaks not only to numbers but to human impact.

Beyond Clean Floors: Unlocking Space and Purpose

Across 1,696 sites, CPSEs reclaimed 130.16 lakh sq. ft. of workspace, surpassing their target by nearly 30 lakh sq. ft. This wasn’t just about sweeping corridors; it was about unlocking potential. Offices once cluttered with obsolete files and scrap now breathe with openness, fostering productivity and collaboration.

A total of 16,158 Metric Tons of scrap was successfully disposed of, exceeding the projected target of 10,909 Metric Tons.

The disposal generated ₹53.94 crore, proving that waste, when managed wisely, can be turned into wealth.

Innovation Rooted in Sustainability

• E‑waste collection bins at SECL HQ, fabricated from recycled scrap, symbolize circular economy principles.
• CIL HQ canteen, renamed Cilantro, emerged from a decade-long renovation, offering employees a hygienic, modern dining space.
• Waste to Wonder workshops for children instilled environmental responsibility early, turning discarded materials into art and imagination.

These initiatives reflect a shift from mere compliance to culture-building, embedding sustainability into everyday routines.

Empowering Communities

The campaign’s reach extended beyond office walls. At Mata Sabri Balika Awasiya Shiksha Parisar, WCL supported over 160 tribal girls with education and basic facilities. For communities around mining areas, this was more than charity — it was a lifeline to higher education and a chance to break cycles of disadvantage.

Inclusivity at the Workplace

Coal India Limited’s installation of sanitary napkin vending machines at its HQ marked a progressive step toward workplace dignity. By addressing menstrual hygiene, CPSEs acknowledged the importance of inclusivity, ensuring women employees and visitors feel supported and respected.

The Human Story Behind the Numbers

While statistics highlight efficiency — 70,093 files weeded out, 78,635 reviewed — the real story lies in the people impacted. Employees now work in cleaner, more organized spaces. Children learn to value recycling. Tribal girls pursue education with confidence. Women find workplaces more welcoming.

Setting a Benchmark

Special Campaign 6 is more than a cleanliness drive; it is a benchmark for governance and responsibility. It demonstrates how public sector enterprises can blend efficiency with empathy, turning administrative campaigns into movements that touch lives.

Adani with Air India Group and IndiGo Begin Phased Transition to Navi Mumbai International Airport

Mumbai’s aviation landscape is set for a historic transformation as Air India Group and IndiGo, in partnership with Adani Airports, announce phased transitions of flight operations from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) to the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA). The move will ease congestion, enable infrastructure redevelopment, and position NMIA as a major international hub by 2027.

The phased transition of Air India Group and IndiGo operations to Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) is driven by the urgent need to redevelop Mumbai’s Terminal 1 at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) and to establish a dual-airport system that can handle rising passenger traffic across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.

This transition is not just about easing congestion — it’s about future-proofing Mumbai’s aviation ecosystem. By 2027, NMIA will emerge as a strategic hub for international operations, while CSMIA undergoes redevelopment to expand capacity. Together, they will create one of India’s most robust dual-airport systems, reshaping connectivity for millions of passengers.

Transition Timeline

• December 2026: Air India Express launches 4 daily domestic flights from NMIA.
• January 2027: Air India Express adds services to Kuwait (pending approvals) and Oman.
• Summer 2027: Air India transitions flights to Jeddah, Riyadh, Dammam, Doha, Muscat, Sharjah.
• February 2027: IndiGo begins shifting 12 daily international departures to NMIA.
• July 2027: IndiGo completes transition, adding Kathmandu as a new destination.

Strategic Impact

• Dual-Airport System: Mumbai will operate CSMIA + NMIA, balancing traffic and expanding capacity.
• Terminal 1 Redevelopment: Freed-up slots at CSMIA enable major redevelopment by 2030.
• International Hub Growth: NMIA emerges as a long-term hub for West Asia and South Asia routes.
• Fleet Expansion: IndiGo plans to leverage NMIA for new Asia, Africa, and Europe services with A321XLR aircraft.

Airline Transition Comparison

Airline	Start Date	Flights Moved	Destinations	Completion
Air India Express	Dec 2026	4 daily domestic	Kuwait, Oman, Jeddah, Riyadh, Dammam, Doha, Muscat, Sharjah	Summer 2027
IndiGo	Feb 2027	12 daily international	Bahrain, Riyadh, Dammam, Jeddah, Madinah, Kuwait, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah, Muscat, Dhaka, Jakarta, Kathmandu	July 2027

Risks & Challenges

• Passenger Confusion: Operating from two airports may initially inconvenience travelers.
• Approval Dependencies: Kuwait services await regulatory clearance.
• Infrastructure Readiness: NMIA must ensure multimodal connectivity and efficient transfers.
• Operational Balance: Airlines must coordinate slots to avoid competitive imbalance.

Industry Takeaway

The coordinated transition by Air India Group and IndiGo signals a new era for Mumbai aviation, with NMIA positioned as a global hub alongside CSMIA. For passengers, this means expanded connectivity, reduced congestion, and smoother travel experiences. For airlines, it unlocks growth capacity and strategic expansion opportunities across Asia and beyond.

Adani Airport Holdings Limited (AAHL) has worked closely with carriers to ensure transparent, equitable rebalancing of capacity across both airports.

LTM Secures Strategic Engagement with a Global Banking and Financial Services Firm

LTM, the Business Creativity partner to the world's largest enterprises, has secured a strategic engagement with a large global banking and financial services firm, further strengthening its position as a trusted technology and transformation partner to leading financial institutions. This two-year engagement is already underway with an option to extend for an additional year and has a potential value of up to USD 100 million.

The engagement reflects the continued expansion of LTM’s relationship with the client and its growing role in advancing strategic technology programmes and supporting supplier consolidation initiatives across the organization. Under the agreement, LTM will serve as a preferred partner driving the consolidation and delivery of strategic technology requirements across key wealth, personal banking, and global functions.

The engagement will leverage LTM’s deep banking-domain expertise, engineering excellence, and global delivery capabilities to support the client’s technology transformation priorities at scale.

This engagement reinforces LTM’s commitment to building long-term strategic partnerships with global financial institutions and delivering measurable business outcomes through technology, engineering, and transformation services. By combining industry expertise with AI-led engineering capabilities, LTM continues to help clients enhance productivity, accelerate modernization, and scale AI-infused delivery across the enterprise.

Bank of Baroda’s Wholly Owned Subsidiary bob Securities & Giltedge Limited Commences NBFC Operations

Bank of Baroda, one of India’s leading public sector banks, announced that bob Securities & Giltedge Limited, its wholly owned subsidiary, has commenced business as a Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC-ND-ICC). The development marks an important milestone in the Bank’s strategy to strengthen its presence in Government Securities and Debt Capital Markets. During an event to mark the commencement of operations as an NBFC, bob Securities & Giltedge Limited unveiled its corporate identity & logo, and launched its official website, www.bobgiltedge.in.

The launch of bob Securities & Giltedge Limited is in line with the Bank's vision of strengthening the BOB Group through specialised capabilities, creating scale across businesses and building a diversified financial services institution.

Dr. Debadatta Chand, Managing Director & CEO, Bank of Baroda said, “bob Securities & Giltedge Limited represents an important strategic initiative for the Bank. The commencement of operations as an NBFC lays the foundation for strengthening our presence in the Government Securities and Debt Capital Markets. The Company will contribute to the development and deepening of India’s financial markets through market-making and related activities, enhancing market efficiency and encouraging wider investor participation, including through the RBI Retail Direct platform. As we continue to diversify our financial services franchise, dedicated subsidiaries such as bob Securities & Giltedge Limited will play an important role in creating new avenues of growth and strengthening the overall BOB Group.”

The launch event was attended by the Directors of Bank of Baroda and Directors of bob Securities & Giltedge Limited, along with other dignitaries.

India Launches World's First Air Pollution Analysis Laboratory to Track Pollution Sources in Real Time

In a major breakthrough for environmental science and air quality management, India has inaugurated the world's first integrated facility dedicated to comprehensive air pollution analysis. The new facility, known as the Integrated Atmospheric Chemistry and Aerosol Toxicity Analysis Laboratory (AATAL), has been established at the Delhi branch of the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) and is designed to transform how pollution is studied, monitored and managed in the National Capital Region (NCR).

The laboratory was inaugurated by Dr Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, under the government's Mission Mausam initiative. According to the minister, the facility represents a shift from simply measuring pollution levels to understanding the actual composition, sources and health impacts of pollutants.

Moving Beyond AQI Numbers

For years, air quality discussions in Delhi-NCR have revolved around the Air Quality Index (AQI), which provides a snapshot of pollution severity. While AQI serves as an important public health indicator, it does not reveal crucial details such as what pollutants are present, where they originate, and how dangerous they may be to human health.

The new AATAL facility seeks to fill this gap. It has been designed to analyse atmospheric pollutants in real time, allowing scientists and policymakers to understand not just how polluted the air is, but why it is polluted.

According to Dr Jitendra Singh, this capability will help authorities formulate targeted responses rather than relying on broad and often reactive pollution-control measures.

What Makes AATAL Unique?

The laboratory is being described as a first-of-its-kind integrated facility globally because it combines several advanced capabilities within a single framework. These include:

• Real-time identification of pollution sources.
• Chemical analysis of atmospheric gases and aerosols.
• Toxicity assessment of pollution particles and components.
• Air quality forecasting and decision-support systems.

The facility can distinguish between pollution generated by vehicles, industrial activities, biomass burning, crop-residue burning, road and construction dust, and pollutants transported from neighbouring regions.

This level of source apportionment is expected to significantly improve the scientific basis for air pollution mitigation strategies.

Real-Time Source Tracking

One of the most impressive features of the facility is its ability to identify pollution sources in real time.

During the inauguration, officials demonstrated how the system could estimate the contribution of different pollution sources to Delhi's air quality at a given moment. According to the demonstration cited by the minister, transportation was contributing roughly 25 percent of the city's pollution load at that particular time.

Such insights can help authorities quickly determine where interventions may have the greatest impact. Instead of introducing blanket restrictions, policymakers can focus on sectors that are making the largest contribution to pollution during specific periods.

Understanding Health Risks

Air pollution is increasingly recognised not only as an environmental challenge but also as a major public health crisis. Fine particulate matter, particularly PM2.5, is linked to respiratory diseases, cardiovascular disorders, cancer and premature mortality.

The AATAL laboratory is equipped with advanced instruments capable of analysing:

• Fine particulate matter (PM2.5)
• Atmospheric gases
• Metals and toxic elements
• Various aerosol components

Scientists will be able to evaluate not only the presence of these pollutants but also their toxicity, helping researchers better understand their potential health impacts.

This capability could prove crucial for developing more effective public health advisories and long-term pollution-control policies.

AI-Driven Forecasting and Decision Support

Another significant aspect of the project is its integration with AIRWISE (Air Quality Warning and Integrated Decision Support System for Emissions), an advanced forecasting platform developed by IITM.

AIRWISE combines:

• Air quality observations
• Forecast models
• Pollution source information
• Decision-support tools

The system can generate air quality forecasts for up to 72 hours at a spatial resolution of approximately 400 metres.

Such high-resolution forecasting could provide regulators with valuable advance warning of deteriorating air quality conditions, enabling preventive rather than reactive measures.

Why Delhi-NCR?

Delhi-NCR has long struggled with severe air pollution, particularly during the winter months when meteorological conditions, vehicular emissions, industrial activity and crop-residue burning combine to create hazardous smog episodes.

The government selected Delhi-NCR for the project because of the region's urgent need for scientific tools capable of supporting evidence-based policy decisions.

By generating precise, measurement-based insights, AATAL is expected to support agencies responsible for managing air quality across the region.

A Key Pillar of Mission Mausam

The facility is part of the government's broader Mission Mausam programme aimed at strengthening India's capabilities in weather, climate and environmental monitoring.

Through advanced atmospheric research and forecasting systems, Mission Mausam seeks to improve scientific understanding of environmental phenomena and provide actionable information for policymakers.

AATAL represents one of the initiative's most ambitious projects and demonstrates India's growing investment in environmental technology and atmospheric sciences.

A Potential Global Model

Air pollution affects cities across the world, from Beijing and Jakarta to Mexico City and Los Angeles. Many countries possess sophisticated monitoring systems, but AATAL's integrated approach, combining source identification, chemical analysis, toxicity assessment and forecasting within a single facility, has been highlighted as a unique model.

If successful, the laboratory could serve as a blueprint for future pollution-monitoring centres globally, particularly in rapidly urbanising regions facing complex air quality challenges.

The Road Ahead

The launch of AATAL marks an important milestone in India's battle against air pollution. While technology alone cannot eliminate pollution, access to real-time scientific data can enable smarter policies, faster interventions and more effective enforcement.

By helping authorities understand what is polluting the air, where pollutants originate and how they affect public health, the facility has the potential to transform air quality management in Delhi-NCR and beyond.

As cities worldwide search for more effective solutions to worsening air pollution, India's pioneering initiative may well become a global benchmark for environmental monitoring and evidence-based pollution control.