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HOME // Investor Relations // Chairman's Speech

CHAIRMAN'S SPEECH

SESA GOA LIMITED 47th ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGCHAIRMAN’S SPEECH

Ladies and Gentlemen,

3 July 2012

 

Good morning! It is my pleasure to be here and welcome you on behalf of the Board of Directors to the 47 th Annual General Meeting and to take you through the business presentation.

Introduction

I would like to introduce your directors to you. To my left is our Chief Executive Officer, Mr. P K Mukherjee. Further to my left is Mr. G D Kamat, Independent Non-Executive Director. On the far left is Mr. J P Singh, Independent Non-Executive Director.

On my right, we have Mr. Ashok Kini, Independent Non-Executive Director; further to him is Mr. Amit Pradhan, Whole Time Director in charge of your Value Addition and Steel Business. Next to Mr. Pradhan is Mr. S L Bajaj, Director – Finance, who joined us this year from our group company Hindustan Zinc Limited. Next to him is our Company Secretary, Mr. C D Chitnis.

During the year, we announced the retirement of Mr. Arun Kumar Rai. Mr. Rai made a valuable contribution to the Company during his tenure of more than 35 years, driving the successes in exploration and mining operations over the years, with his expertise and strong business acumen. He joined the Company as a Graduate Trainee and retired as a Director of this Company on 31 July 2011. The Board appreciates his contribution and wishes him and his family continued success. Mr. Rai continues to be associated with the Company as Chief Technical Advisor, providing valuable guidance to the exploration effort and Liberian operations.

Further this year, Mr. P G Kakodkar stepped down from his directorship and the Board accepted his resignation on 25 October 2011. Mr. Kakodkar rendered substantial contribution during his tenure of more than 11 years, from March 2000 to October 2011, and the Board places its appreciation and wishes him and his family a healthy life ahead.

Business Report

The annual report containing the Director’s Report and Audited Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2012 has been with you for some time now and with your permission, I shall take the same as read.

Let me highlight a few salient aspects of the year’s operational and financial performance:

  • This year, the company faced significant external challenges and volumes were under pressure. Iron ore sales volume declined from 18.1 million tonnes (16.4 million tonnes excluding Orissa) in 2010-11 to 16.0 million tonnes. This decline is mainly due to the ban in Karnataka mining operations and the continued logistical challenges in Goa. Sales revenue from iron ore decreased by 3%, from Rs. 8,387 crores in 2010- 11 to Rs. 8,112 crores in 2011-12.
  • Pig iron sales volume decreased by 6% to 250,571 tonnes, while sales revenue grew by 8% to Rs. 720 crores in 2011-12. While the met coke sales volume slightly increased to 251,264 tonnes, external sales revenue increased by 24% to Rs. 200 crores.
  • Total consolidated revenues were at Rs. 8,545 crores. Sesa’s operating cash profit (PBDT) declined by 43% to Rs. 3,235 crores in 2011-12 and profit after taxes (including associate income) decreased by 36% to Rs. 2,696 crores.
  • Consolidated earnings per share (EPS-diluted) this year were Rs. 31.01 as against Rs. 48.17 in 2010-11.

The Company has taken significant steps this year towards creating a global resource major with a number of acquisitions, which I will detail, culminating in the announcement of the merger of Sterlite Industries, along with other group companies, with Sesa Goa. With these acquisitions and mergers, Sesa’s exposure to diverse commodities and geographies, enhanced scale of operations and access to significant organic growth, will enable it to consistently deliver higher value to its shareholders at a reduced risk.

Growth

Despite a challenging environment, the Company continued to invest in long-term growth.

Expansion: While we are currently constrained in our efforts to increase our iron ore capacities in Goa and Karnataka, I am pleased to inform you that we have almost completed the expansions of our pig iron and met coke facilities along with a sinter plant and the associated power plant. The enhanced pig iron capacity of 625 ktpa will make Sesa the largest low-phosphorous pig iron producer in the country and the addition of the sinter plant will give us the ability to utilise iron ore fines, giving Sesa a strong cost advantage.

Exploration: The Company continues to invest in long-term resource generation with an aggressive drilling program. Exploration, which is a pillar of our growth strategy, added 68 million tonnes of additional resources in 2011-12, about 5 times what we extracted during the year. Sesa added over 257 million tonnes over the last 4 years, drilling more than 200,000 metres. As on 31 March 2012, the Company’s total reserves and resources in India were at 374 million tonnes.

This year was also significant for the strides the Company made in inorganic growth.

Cairn India: During the year, Sesa Goa Limited, along with its subsidiary, Sesa Resources Limited, acquired 20% of the share capital of Cairn India Limited for Rs. 13,075 crores. Cairn India is a unique oil and gas exploration and production platform with the second largest oil reserves in India. For the year 2011-12, Cairn India has declared a PAT of Rs. 7,938 crores, of which, for the period 8 December 2011 – 31 March 2012, Associate Income of Rs. 588 crores has accrued to your Company’s overall earnings.

Liberia: Taking Sesa’s iron ore business truly global, we acquired 51% stake in Western Cluster Limited in Liberia, with a potential iron ore resource of over 1 billion tonnes, for Rs. 411 crores. The Western Cluster Project presents an excellent opportunity for developing a large integrated mining operation and establishes our presence in Liberia and the upcoming iron ore hub in West Africa. The Company has successfully completed the aeromagnetic survey in Liberia and exploratory drilling is in full swing. As on date, the Company has completed over 10,000 metres of drilling.

Sterlite Merger: The Company also announced the intended merger of Sterlite Industries (India) Limited with Sesa Goa Limited, which will create one of the world’s largest diversified natural resources company, having exposure to zinc-lead-silver, iron ore, oil & gas, copper, aluminium and commercial power, with assets located in India, Australia, Liberia, South Africa, Namibia, Ireland and Sri Lanka. The Company has already received approvals from the Competition Commission of India, the Stock Exchanges and the Foreign Investment Promotion Board.

At the Court Convened Meeting held on 19 June 2012, you had given the Company the approval for the two Composite and Concurrent schemes. As on date, all the companies involved in the merger have received the approvals from their shareholders. The scheme is now subject to the approval of the High Court.

People

Sesa’s biggest asset is our dedicated and talented workforce of about 4,700 people driving Sesa towards greater achievements and success. We remain committed to sustaining a challenging and rewarding work environment for all our employees.

Sesa continues to focus on its two-pronged approach to the identification and development of next-generation business and operational leaders, through its on-going GOLD and ACT UP processes. During the year, the Company has focussed on specific organisational development initiatives, directed at improving managerial performance, by profiling personalities, strengthening interpersonal relations and employee engagement.

SA 8000

During the year, Sesa Goa Limited has been certified for SA 8000 for all its units. SA 8000 is an international standard on human rights at the workplace, and involves the development and maintenance of management systems that promote socially acceptable working practices. It is an auditable certification standard based on international norms laid down by ILO and other human rights bodies.

You may note with pride that your Company is the first iron ore company in the world to have achieved this certification. This certification has been awarded for the Goa and Karnataka Mines, Corporate Office, Pig Iron & Met Coke Division and Ship Building Division.

Sustainability

Sesa remains committed to sustainable development, which focuses on maintaining a pre-eminent position in health, safety and environment practices, and in contributing to the development of communities where it operates.

Health, safety and environment are always a priority for Sesa. The Company continues to take a proactive role in providing employees a safe working environment through responsibility, training, monitoring and implementing the best safety and environmental practices across all locations.

I take pride in informing you all that Sesa was among the few companies in India, to take the initiative in voluntarily preparing Sustainability Development Report adhering to GRI guidelines, since 2005-06. We continue to maintain high levels of disclosures in our reporting, and this year’s report will be published soon.

Since few years, Sesa has been disclosing its carbon emissions, and strategies to minimise GHG emissions, through CDP reporting. During the year, your Company was ranked 7th in the CDP India 200 Report, 2011.

The Company has an integrated approach to the management of health, safety and environment systems in all its units, which are certified for ISO 9001:2008, ISO 14001:2004 and OHSAS 18001:2007.

Safety

In 2011-12, Sesa’s overall Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate (LTIFR) reduced from 0.86 in 2010-11 to 0.81 per million man-hours worked. I am happy to report that the pig iron division (PID) maintained its zero-accident record for the second consecutive yeas and that the shipbuilding division achieved a zero-accident record for 2011-12.

Communities

Our community development work, through the Sesa Community Development Foundation, Mineral Foundation of Goa and other specific need-based initiatives, continues to focus on social projects in line with our overall sustainability objectives. Our development initiatives have impacted about 4 lakh lives, in and around the areas in which we operate.

While we continue to focus on the four critical dimensions of education, healthcare, infrastructure and livelihood, in our community development activities; a few specific interventions during the year need special mention:

  • Sesa started the Second Technical School to meet the vocational aspirations of the youth in South Goa. This school has also enrolled its first girl student into the ITI programme
  • Sesa has partnered with the Department of Education and the Goa Engineering College to start a Graduate programme in Mining Engineering, with the objective of meeting the need of mining engineers in the country.
  • Sesa has also collaborated with the Department of Agriculture to promote hi-tech commercial farming, poly-house project, and already has set up four such units for gerbera cultivation.
  • The ten Community Medical Centres, and two mobile health units, operated by Sesa continue to cater to the health needs of the surrounding villages, benefitting more than 1,50,000 people.

During the year, Sesa has contributed over Rs. 3,500 crores to the exchequer, in terms of taxes, duties and royalties paid.

Outlook

Global economy is passing through difficult times. China and India exhibited comparatively less robust growth of around 9.2% and 7.2% in 2011 respectively. Despite uncertainties on the economic front, global steel output in 2011 increased and, in turn, global seaborne iron ore trade increased on the back of sustained and robust demand from China.

China and India continue to expand in their urbanisation, which will keep the demand robust for metal consumption. The global deficit in seaborne iron ore supply is expected to continue for the next two years. This is expected to provide some support and stabilise prices in the near term.

On the cost front, royalty rates, railway and road freight and export duties are expected to exert pressure on the Company, while volumes would continue to be challenged by uncertainties in policy decisions and hurdles in logistics.

Notwithstanding these, the strategic positioning of Sesa as a low-cost producer, coupled with accessibility to ports and strong customer relations, remains the key to mitigating downside risks and exploiting opportunities. The Company continues to work on furthering its internal systemic robustness and strengthening processes to handle such future challenges.

Corporate Governance

As you may be aware, SFIO had submitted its report on the investigation into Sesa’s affairs pursuant to section 235 of the Indian Companies Act, in which it made certain allegations, and recommended, inter alia, action against the directors of Sesa Goa Limited during 2001-2008.

In response to this report received by the Company on 26 May 2011, Sesa filed few representations to the Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs, with a copy to SFIO, explaining in detail Sesa’s position on the allegations in the SFIO report and denying the allegations made therein. No further communication has been received till date.

Dividend

The Board has recommended a final dividend of Rs. 2 per share, in addition to the earlier declared interim dividend of Rs. 2.

Acknowledgement

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our employees, my colleagues on the executive team, the Group Management and the Board of Directors for their unwavering support and would like to use the opportunity to welcome our colleagues in Western Cluster Limited, Liberia and GEPL to the Sesa family.

I thank all the shareholders for reposing faith in Sesa’s business in these difficult circumstances.

Thank you ladies and gentlemen,

Kuldip K Kaura
Chairman

Panaji, Goa
03 July 2012

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