Vedanta Lanjigarh initiates phase 2 of ‘Project Panchhi’ for recruiting girls from underserved communities

8th April 2024

  • The project aims to recruit 1000 girls from underserved communities nationally and support them through higher education and job opportunities

Lanjigarh, Kalahandi District, Odisha, 08 April 2024 – Vedanta Limited, Lanjigarh, India’s premier producer of smelter grade alumina and a unit of Vedanta Aluminium, recently launched the second phase of its unique recruitment drive ‘Project Panchhi’, that aims to transform the lives of 1,000 girls from underserved communities nationwide, who are likely to drop out from pursuing further studies and a fulfilling career due to socio-economic constraints. As part of this project, the candidates are financially supported to pursue their higher education in leading institutes of national repute, and after its completion, are mapped to promising job roles within Vedanta.

Since the inception of the project last year, Vedanta Lanjigarh has identified more than 50 girls for recruitment, who are first-generation learners in their families. Based on a thorough, phase-wise recruitment process, the company identified the right set of candidates across Rayagada and Kalahandi districts. Subsequently, the selected candidates undergo an extensive orientation process with the senior executives of the company. Till date, Vedanta Aluminium has identified more than 230 girls from remote communities in Lanjigarh, Jharsuguda, Korba, and Sundargarh, to be a part of this transformative initiative.

Expressing on the importance of the project, Mr. Pranab Kumar Bhattacharyya, CEO – Alumina Business, Vedanta Aluminium said, “Project Panchhi has been developed under the direct guidance of our Chairman. Mr. Anil Agarwal. Through initiatives like these, Vedanta Lanjigarh strives to enhance the socio-economic landscape of the remote communities surrounding its operations, with a particular focus on empowering the young women who constitute a vital pillar of our society. By providing them with substantial opportunities to excel, we are not only fulfilling our Chairman’s mandate but also paving the way for a transformative journey that promises to catalyze significant positive change throughout our areas of operations.” Mr. Dilip Sinha, CHRO, Vedanta Aluminium, added, “Project Panchhi closely aligns with our company’s unwavering commitment to nurturing diversity, equity, and inclusion within our dynamic workforce. We strongly believe that these girls will go on to become leaders and inspire others in their communities to pursue fulfilling careers.”

Expressing her gratitude, Ms. Shital Karuan, one of the girls selected under the program said, “This is a life-changing opportunity for many young aspiring women like me whose aspirations for higher education and thriving careers once seemed beyond reach. Vedanta’s unwavering support promises to not only reshape our professional trajectories but also ignite transformative journeys of personal growth.”

Project Panchhi strives towards towards inclusive development of the local communities, in line with Vedanta’s overall vision for diversity, equity and inclusion The objective of the programme is two-fold –

  • To create opportunities for deserving young women from underserved, remote communities in the immediate vicinity of the company’s metals, mining and oil & gas businesses in Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Goa, etc.
  • To increase the diversity in its workforce by specifically focusing on the recruitment of girls and women, who are underrepresented in the metals, mining & heavy engineering industries.

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.

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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