Vedanta Lanjigarh signs MoU with Kalahandi District Administration for the development of 21 Mo Schools

27th June 2023

Lanjigarh, June 27th, 2023: Vedanta Aluminium’s Lanjigarh unit, India’s premier producer of metallurgical grade alumina, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Kalahandi District Administration for the development of 21 schools across the district, under Government of Odisha’s Mo School Abhiyan. As part of the collaboration, the company will lend its support towards building required infrastructure like smart classrooms, e-libraries, computer labs, playgrounds, gardens, etc. in these schools. This partnership aims to bring about a significant positive change in the education system of the state.

Mo School Abhiyan, launched by the Government of Odisha, strives to revamp government and government-aided schools in the state through public-private partnership, turning them into vibrant and inclusive centres of learning. In line with Odisha Government’s 5T School Transformation program, Vedanta Aluminium will play a pivotal role in transforming these 21 schools, based on the principles of the 5Ts: Technology, Teamwork, Transparency, Time, and Transformation.

Speaking on the partnership, Mr. GG Pal, Dy. CEO – Alumina Business, Vedanta Limited, said, “We are elated to partner with the Government of Odisha for the Mo School Program, an initiative that aligns perfectly with Vedanta Aluminium’s commitment to transforming education and empowering communities. By joining forces, we can create a positive and lasting impact on the lives of young students in the Kalahandi district. Together, we will unlock the potential of these 21 schools, ensuring that every child receives the education they deserve. We believe that education is the foundation for a brighter future, and we are proud to be a part of this transformative journey.”

Mr Pawar Sachin Prakash, IAS, Chief Development Officer, said, “I’m happy that Vedanta has partnered with the District Administration for the beautiful initiative of Mo School Abhiyan. Their grants will help in development of 21 schools across the district and will hopefully bring a transformation in the quality of education and truly impact the lives of young children. Their work has been significant to the rise of education levels in Kalahandi district, and I would encourage them to continue with their work towards community development.”

Vedanta Lanjigarh has been working towards enhancing the educational landscape of Kalahandi through various initiatives. Recognizing the challenges posed by the remote location and the absence of formal educational facilities in the region, the company established the pioneering DAV Vedanta International School in 2006 as the first English medium school in the district. The school is committed to providing affordable education, enabling children from nearby villages to access quality education in English. In addition, through its Nand Ghar program, Vedanta Aluminium operates over 130 modern anganwadis in Kalahandi. These state-of-the-art facilities prioritize the well-being of children under the age of six by ensuring they receive proper education and nutrition. This initiative reflects Vedanta Aluminium’s unwavering commitment to empowering young minds and creating a positive impact on the early stages of children’s development.

Vedanta Aluminium, a business of Vedanta Limited, is India’s largest producer of aluminium, manufacturing more than half of India’s aluminium i.e., 2.29 million tonnes in FY23. It is a leader in value-added aluminium products that find critical applications in core industries. Vedanta Aluminium ranks 2nd in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) 2022 world rankings for aluminium industry, a reflection of its 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

Follow us on LinkedIN, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram

Disclaimer:

This press release contains “forward-looking statements” – that is, statements related to future, not past, events. In this context, forward-looking statements often address our expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “seeks,” “should” or “will.” Forward-looking statements by their nature address matters that are, to different degrees, uncertain. For us, uncertainties arise from the behaviour of financial and metals markets including the London Metal Exchange, fluctuations in interest and or exchange rates and metal prices; from future integration of acquired businesses; and from numerous other matters of national, regional, and global scale, including those of a political, economic, business, competitive or regulatory nature. These uncertainties may cause our actual future results to be materially different than those expressed in our forward-looking statements. We do not undertake to update our forward-looking statements.