Vedanta Aluminium observes ‘Rashtriya Poshan Maah’ at Jharsuguda
7th October 2022
Jharsuguda, Odisha; 7th October 2022: Vedanta Aluminium, India’s largest producer of aluminium, observed Rashtriya Poshan Maah at Jharsuguda, undertaking a month-long awareness programme on good food and nutrition, healthy eating practices, balanced diet, importance of indigenous food, etc. The programme was held across 125 anganwadis, benefitting more than 2000 women and children in Jharsuguda.
The month of September was celebrated across India as the month of nutrition, under the Government of India’s POSHAN (Prime Minister’s Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nutrition) or National Nutrition Mission. Championing this cause, Vedanta Aluminium partnered with anganwadi workers and Panchayati Raj Institution members to sensitise local communities on the various dimensions of nutrition to improve nutritional outcomes for children, pregnant women and lactating mothers.
As part of the campaign, women were trained in different ways of using indigenous produce properly to prepare nutrition rich recipes. The women from the community also shared their own recipes, prepared in a similar manner, with each other. A healthy baby competition was also organized on this occasion. An awareness rally on the importance of proper nutrition for young mothers and children was conducted in partnership with anganwadi workers and local volunteers. Ante-natal and pre-natal check-ups of pregnant women were also organized with the help of ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activists) and ANM (Auxiliary Nurse Midwife) workers. In addition, nutri-gardens or ‘Poshan Vatikas’ were created at anganwadis run by the company.
Speaking about Vedanta Aluminium’s mission for zero hunger, Mr. Sunil Gupta, CEO – Vedanta Ltd. – Jharsuguda, said, “We are partners in the global mission of ending hunger and eradicating malnourishment, through food security and improved nutrition amongst underserved communities. Knowledge of good food practices plays a crucial role in effective on-ground materialisation of these endeavours. Observance of ‘Poshan Maah’, with its multi-faceted activities, helped us reinforce the message of right nutrition amongst our local communities. We hope these learnings will be of immense value and support families to take care of themselves better.”
It is notable here that Vedanta Limited is the title sponsor of the Delhi Half Marathon, and is galvanising people from all over the country, including its employees, business partners and families, to run for the cause of ‘Zero Hunger’. The company is using the sports platform to drive greater awareness regarding child hunger and the need for collective action to end hunger and malnourishment in India. For every kilometre run at the marathon, both on-ground and virtually, the company has pledged meals for children across the country.
Ms. Sujata Rohidas, one of the mothers who was part of the awareness drive said, “The session conducted by the company was very informative as we learned of ways to use traditional ingredients and recipes to improve the health of our children. Through the ante-natal check-up, I also got advice on proper nutrition for myself as well as my new-born baby.”
Vedanta Aluminium, a business of Vedanta Limited, is India’s largest producer of aluminium, manufacturing more than half of India’s aluminium i.e., 2.26 million tonnes in FY22. Vedanta Aluminium ranks 4th in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) 2021 world rankings for aluminium industry, a reflection of its sustainable development practices. The company operates a world-class 1.75 MTPA aluminium smelter and 3615 MW thermal power generation facility at Jharsuguda, in Odisha. The only Indian smelter in the global ‘1 Million Tonne’ production and export club, Vedanta Jharsuguda is a leader in value-added aluminium products that find critical applications across core industries. With its state-of-the-art facilities, unparalleled engineering prowess, R&D and innovation abilities, the company is working towards a sustainable and greener future for all by spurring emerging applications of aluminium, the ‘Metal of the Future’.
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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