The Telangana government on Tuesday, 13 October 2026, announced a ₹596 crore Dasara bonus for employees of the state-owned Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL), with Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka declaring a 34% profit share for permanent workers as a festive gift. The payout will benefit a combined workforce of over 68,000 employees across permanent and contract categories.

Bonus Breakdown: Who Gets What

A total of 38,737 permanent employees will each receive an average profit share of ₹1,53,912, while 29,717 contract workers will get ₹5,500 each. The ₹596 crore disbursement represents 34% of Singareni's net profit of ₹1,754 crore earned this year — a formula the state has consistently applied in previous years.

This year's payout marks a notable decline from last year's ₹819 crore bonus, when each permanent employee received ₹1,95,610. The company had posted a significantly higher profit of ₹6,394 crore in 2024-25, compared to the current year's ₹1,754 crore net profit.

Why Singareni's Profits Have Fallen

Bhatti Vikramarka, who also holds the Energy and Finance portfolios, pointed to structural and competitive factors behind the profit decline. He alleged that the previous Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government had failed to secure additional coal blocks over the past decade, preventing SCCL from participating in central government coal block auctions. According to Vikramarka, the company missed the opportunity to bid for approximately 141 coal blocks, hindering business expansion.

He further noted that the closure of nearly 14 existing coal blocks has directly impacted both production volumes and revenue. This combination of missed expansion and depleting reserves has squeezed profitability sharply.

Competitive Pressure in the Coal Market

Beyond the block acquisition issue, the Deputy CM highlighted intensifying competition in the broader coal market. Entities such as Mahanadi Coalfields, Coal India, and Western Coalfields, alongside private players, are reportedly offering coal at lower prices than Singareni. Vikramarka warned that if SCCL fails to rationalise its coal prices to align with market rates, buyers may shift to alternative suppliers, risking a further contraction in revenue.

Government's Plan to Revive Singareni

Vikramarka stated that efforts to acquire new coal blocks were initiated after the Congress government assumed office in Telangana, and that active measures are underway to expand the company's operational capacity. Separately, he announced that approximately 250 to 300 pending dependent employment orders — long-awaited by families of SCCL workers — will be processed and appointment letters issued within the next 15 days. This announcement is expected to provide significant relief to affected families who have been waiting under the dependent employment scheme.

With Singareni facing simultaneous pressures from shrinking reserves, market competition, and pricing challenges, the government's ability to secure new coal blocks in the near term will be closely watched by both the workforce and industry observers.