New Delhi, Sep 2 (PTI) Coal India Chairman Pramod Agrawal has laid the foundation stone of a Rs 285.05-crore first-mile connectivity project, according to a statement by the coal ministry released on Thursday.

Carrying forward the vision of sustainable mining, Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd, a Coal India arm, is implementing nine FMC projects to provide pollution-free state-of-the-art rake loading system at a total capital expenditure of Rs 3,600 crore.

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This will also generate a despatch capacity of 126 million tonnes per year, expected to be achieved by the year 2024, the ministry said in a statement.

The chairman also commissioned four 100 tonne dumpers and one mobile water sprinkler at Samleshwari open cast project (OCP), the statement added.

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"The chairman...laid the foundation stone for Rs 285.05 crore first-mile connectivity (FMC) project, Lajkura SILO, which would add 15 million tonnes per annum despatch capacity to the Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd," the statement said.

The ministry also said an innovative Remotely Piloted Aircraft System was inauguarted at Coal India arm MCL.

"In a first, in Coal India Ltd (CIL)...an innovative Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) at Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd (MCL) was inaugurated yesterday (on Wednesday)," it said.

This state-of-the-art initiative will enable Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd (MCL) to access real-time video through the internet and pave the way for other allied potential use-cases of drones in mines, the coal ministry said in a statement.

MCL was the first coal company to introduce environment-friendly surface mining technology in 1999. The biggest fleet of 66 surface miners is contributing 95 per cent of the company's total coal production. HRS hrs

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