Thousands of India coal workers end strike

The Indian government has assured workers that Coal India Ltd will not be privatised.

Around half a million coal workers in India have called off their strike following an assurance by the government it wouldn't sell state-run Coal India Ltd to private investors.

They ended their protest late on Wednesday after Coal and Power Minister Piyush Goyal assured them that Coal India, which accounts for 80 per cent of India's coal production, would not be privatised and the interests of workers would be protected.

The two-day strike hit supplies to nearly 100 coal-fired power plants across the country.

Most coal-fired power plants have stocks of coal to last up to four days.

Five coal industry unions went on strike on Tuesday expressing fear that privatisation would lead to illegal mining and lowering of wages.

They threatened to strike for five days.


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Source: AAP


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