Mini Ratna status to Coal India, four subsidiaries

New Delhi, Mar 28 (UNI) Coal India Ltd (CIL) and its four profit-making subsidiaries have been granted 'Mini Ratna' status.

The status provides more financial and operational autonomy to the companies, a CIL statement said here today.

The four subsidiaries are: Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd, Sambalpur; Northern Coalfields Ltd, Singrauli; South Eastern Coalfields Ltd, Bilaspur; and Western Coalfileds Ltd, Nagpur.

The status was given after CIL and the four companies met the eligibility and classification conditions laid down by the Department of Public Enterprises.

Meanwhile, CIL paid Rs 699.72 crore as second and final dividend for 2006-07 to the government.

Earlier, CIL had paid an interim dividend of Rs 800.28 crore.

The total Rs 1,500 crore dividend constitutes 23.75 per cent of the paid up capital of the company.

Last year, CIL paid Rs 1,263 crore as dividend, which was 20 per cent of its equity.

UNI