ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the partnership approach that underpinned a livelihoods assessment and a series of trust-building measures at the Sarshatali Coal Mining project, West Bengal, India, of Integrated Coal Mining Limited (ICML). Building on its experience with the livelihoods assessment and trust-building measures partnership, ICML decided to investigate the possibility of a partnership approach to the link road construction project. The vision for the health partnership, as stated in the memorandum of understanding, was to promote 'healthy communities, free from infectious diseases, malnutrition and addiction, provided with basic healthcare services through the pooling of resources from all the partners'. For the mine link road this has been deployed as a business driver, providing an incentive for the company to share the cost burden of mine infrastructure with the district authorities and to reduce the long-term liabilities associated with road maintenance.
