Indus Valley Times

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

By Dr Rama Chandra Behera

Lanjigarh, April 10 :  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.