Tata Steel starts all-women shift at Jharkhand's Noamundi iron mine

Tata Steel has operationalised an all-women shift at its Noamundi iron mine in Jharkhand from Monday.

 

In a statement, Tata Steel said the initiative, India’s first, underscored the company’s unwavering commitment to creating an equitable workplace and empowering women in traditionally male-dominated industries.

 

The 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.

 

Commenting, D B Sundara Ramam, vice president, raw materials, Tata Steel, said, “This all-women shift 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 that 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, especially in our mining ecosystem. This initiative marks a significant addition to the 100 glorious years of mining at Noamundi,” he added.

 

In 2019, Tata Steel launched its 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 relaxation of the Mines Act, 1952.

 

Building on this, the company introduced the “Tejaswini” initiative, aimed at recruiting and training women from local communities to operate heavy earth-moving machinery.

 

Under the “Tejaswini 2.0” programme launched in 2021, women from nearby communities were rigorously trained and inducted as HEMM operators.

 

Women were deployed across roles such as dumper, shovel, dozer, grader, and drill operators. They underwent extensive training, including technical and operational skills, simulator sessions, safety protocols, and physical fitness, before joining the workforce in April 2022.

 

Tata Steel said that the success of “Tejaswini 2.0” paved the way for the “Tejaswini 2.1” programme in 2022, which attracted over 2,100 applications and culminated in the selection of 24 operators.