Continuing with its glorious tradition like previous years, employees of Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) bagged 15 out of total 28 Vishwakarma Rashtriya Puraskars -2007 (Perfomance year-2006), winning 53% of total VRP Awards presented by the Union Minister of State for Shipping, Road Transport and Highways, Mr. K.H. Muniyappa at Vigyan Bhawan today. The Vishwakarma awards are given every year to workers of industrial undertakings for their innovative suggestions leading to cost reduction, improvement in quality, productivity and working conditions, etc.
Out of the 15 groups totaling 68 employees from SAIL's five plants, four are from SAIL's Bhilai Steel Plant (BSP) and Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) each, while three are from Durgapur Steel Plant (DSP) and Bokaro Steel Plant (BSL), and one from Salem Steel Plant (SSP). SAIL employees won the award in three different categories -- two awards under class 'A', six under class 'B' and seven under class 'C'. The winners under these classes received cash prizes of Rs. 75,000, Rs. 50,000 and Rs. 25,000 respectively alongwith a certificate of merit. These 15 innovative suggestions of the awardees has helped SAIL accrue total annual savings of Rs 78.5 crore.
Felicitating the Vishwakarma awardees at Ispat Bhavan here today, SAIL Chairman Mr. S.K. Roongta appreciated the innovative spirit of the employees and exhorted them to take up more projects at their inpidual level. Director (Personnel)/SAIL, Shri G.Ojha and Director (Finance)/SAIL Shri Soiles Bhattacharya also congratulated the awardees.
SAIL workers, known for their dedication and commitment to organisational excellence, have helped the company and its plants/units to win various awards. It may be recalled that in the Prime Minister's Shram Awards for the year 2006 announced by the Ministry of Labour recently, SAIL has bagged 6 Shram Awards totaling 25 employees out of total 33 awards. While Bhilai Steel Plant (BSP) won one Shram Bhushan, two Shram Vir was bagged by Durgapur Steel Plant (DSP) and one each by BSP and Rourkela Steel Plan (RSP)t. BSP also bagged one Shram Shri.
