Vedanta Aluminium Celebrates Kalahandi’s National Recognition Under Aspirational District Programme
11th July 2025
Bhubaneswar, Odisha, July 11, 2025: Vedanta Aluminium, India’s largest aluminium producer, extends heartfelt congratulations to the government representatives, district administration, and the people of Kalahandi district for their exemplary performance under the Aspirational Districts Programme, a flagship initiative by NITI Aayog aimed at transforming underdeveloped districts across India.
During a recent review meeting chaired by NITI Aayog’s Central Prabhari Officer, Ms. Anita Karn, at the Bhawanipatna District Collector’s office, Kalahandi was commended for achieving 100% success in five out of six key developmental indicators, including women and child health, nutrition, education, and agriculture. The district has been awarded a performance incentive of ₹9 crore, a testament to its growing commitment to inclusive and sustainable development.
The Government is committed to raising the living standards of its citizens and ensuring inclusive growth for all “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, aur Sabka Vishwas”, and Vedanta Aluminium is proud to be a partner in this transformation.
Launched in 2018, the Aspirational Districts Programme seeks to fast-track development in 112 of India’s most underdeveloped districts by encouraging convergence of schemes, collaboration among key stakeholders, and healthy competition through monthly rankings. It measures progress across 49 indicators under five core themes, including health, education, agriculture, skill development, and infrastructure.
Commenting on this landmark achievement, Rajiv Kumar, CEO, Vedanta Aluminium, said, “We are proud to celebrate this moment with the people of Kalahandi. This achievement reflects the power of collaboration between the government, communities, and responsible industry partners. Vedanta Aluminium is proud to be a partner in this transformation, and we remain committed to supporting the district’s progress for all future generations to come.”
As a longstanding development partner in Kalahandi, Vedanta Aluminium continues to contribute meaningfully across core sectors aligned with the Aspirational Districts Programme goals.
- Health & Nutrition: To bolster community health and access, Vedanta’s mobile healthcare vans provide free medical services to remote areas, while the Vedanta Hospital in Lanjigarh serves over 60,000 people annually. The company also operates two diagnostic centres in Jharsuguda and Laikera, benefiting nearly 1,00,000 people, and provides doorstep healthcare to 42,000 people.
- Education and Skilling: The DAV-Vedanta School, the first English medium school in Lanjigarh, serves 1,300 students, 87% of whom are from local communities, boosting literacy in Kalahandi. Additionally, Vedanta supports sports enthusiasts by offering training platforms, particularly for archers, and backing community tournaments in cricket, football, and volleyball.
- Livelihoods & Women Empowerment: The company operates 531 Nand Ghars, community hubs focused on women and child development and has supported over 10,000 women through skill development and microfinance programs aimed at fostering rural entrepreneurship. Under various projects like Project Sakhi and Project Panchhi, the company is making significant efforts to empower girls from socio-economically disadvantaged communities in Odisha.
- Agriculture & Sustainability: The Integrated Watershed Project and climate-smart farming practices in Lanjigarh have enhanced irrigation across 170+ acres, benefiting 2,000+ people; Vedanta has also partnered with NABARD to build 12 new farm ponds, boosting water security.
This recognition reaffirms Kalahandi’s transformation from a symbol of deprivation to a beacon of progress and dignity. Vedanta remains committed to working alongside government and community stakeholders to ensure long-term, inclusive growth in the region.
About Vedanta Limited:
Vedanta Limited, a subsidiary of Vedanta Resources Limited, is one of the world’s leading Oil & Gas and Metals company with significant operations in Oil & Gas, Zinc, Lead, Silver, Copper, Iron Ore, Steel, and Aluminium & Power across India, South Africa and Namibia. For two decades, Vedanta has been contributing significantly to nation building. Governance and sustainable development are at the core of Vedanta's strategy, with a strong focus on health, safety, and environment. Vedanta has put in place a comprehensive framework to be the ESG leader in the natural resources sector. Vedanta is committed to reducing carbon emissions to zero by 2050 or sooner and has pledged $5 billion over the next 10 years to accelerate the transition to net zero operations. Giving back is in the DNA of Vedanta, which is focused on enhancing the lives of local communities. The company’s flagship social impact program, Nand Ghars, have been set up as model anganwadis focused on eradicating child malnutrition, providing education, healthcare, and empowering women with skill development. Under the aegis of the Anil Agarwal Foundation, the umbrella entity for Vedanta’s social initiatives, the Vedanta group has pledged Rs 5000 crore over the next five years on social impact programmes with a thrust on nutrition, women & child development, healthcare, animal welfare, and grass-root level sports. Vedanta and the group companies have been featured in Dow Jones Sustainability Index, and was conferred Frost & Sullivan Sustainability Awards 2020, Golden Peacock Award for excellence in Corporate Governance 2022 and certified as a Great Place to Work 2022. Vedanta Limited is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange.
For more information, please visit www.vedantalimited.com
About Vedanta Aluminium Business:
Vedanta Aluminium, a business of Vedanta Limited, is India’s largest producer of aluminium, manufacturing more than half of India’s aluminium i.e., 2.37 million tonnes in FY24. It is a leader in value-added aluminium products that find critical applications in core industries. Vedanta Aluminium ranks 1st in the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment 2023 world rankings for the aluminium industry, a reflection of its leading sustainable development practices. With its world-class aluminium smelters, alumina refinery and power plants in India, the company fulfils its mission of spurring emerging applications of aluminium as the ‘Metal of the Future’ for a greener tomorrow.
For more information, please log on to www.vedantaaluminium.com
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