Indus Valley Times

On National Youth Day, it committed to further enabling youths to excel in diverse fields

By Dr Rama Chandra Behera

Bhubaneswar, Jan.12 : On the occasion of National Youth Day, Vedanta Aluminium, India’s largest producer of aluminium, reiterates its commitment to empowering youth across its operations through multiple opportunities for advancement. The company has employed a two-pronged approach, generating extensive employment opportunities with rich job content across its world-class operations, and empowering youths from local communities through education, skill development, grassroots sports, and training in traditional art forms. Together, they are helping youths across India attain sustainable livelihoods and achieve new milestones, contributing to the socio-economic development of their communities and country.

Vedanta Aluminium’s operation include one of the world’s largest aluminium smelters in Jharsuguda and a world-class alumina refinery in Lanjigarh, Odisha, in addition to India’s iconic aluminium producer BALCO in Korba, Chhattisgarh. Over 55% of Vedanta Aluminium’s employees at these locations comprise of top talent in their twenties,working on leading-edge technologies to produce the high-quality aluminium that is supplied to over 60 countries globally for high-end applications.This puts them at the forefront of India’sgrowth story and considerable engineering prowess.

The company is also young when considered in terms of the average employee age, which falls between 26-28 years, representing India’s demographic dividend.Given the size and scale of Vedanta Aluminium’s operations, these youths are employed in a diverse variety of rolessuch asengineering,mechatronics,sustainability, commodities, mining,geology, forensics, geophysics,deep tech, etc. The company has also established tie-ups with top educational institutions to train and further upskill high-performing employees.

Building upon its significant efforts in community development skill development, the company has successfully trained nearly 15,000 youth from its communities through its various skilling programs. These programs are helping bridge the gap between unskilled and semi-skilled youths through training in market-relevant vocational skills, entrepreneurship, climate-resilient agriculture, revival of traditional arts and crafts such as Saura and Dhokra, amongst others.Vedanta Aluminium has rolled out Project Panchhi, arecruitment drive that aims to employ 1000 girls from marginalizedrural communities, providing them with financial support in completing their collegiate education and also offering employment on successful completion.

Vedanta Aluminium’s commitments also aligns with key global goals, particularly the ‘Skill India’ vision and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including SDG 1 – No Poverty, SDG 8- Decent Work and Economic Growth, and SDG 10 – Reduced Inequalities. The company has collaborated with esteemed knowledge providers such as NABARD, the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE), Skill Development Institute (Bhubaneswar) and other topinstitutions toensure that the training programs are tailored to the evolving needs of the market and the aspirations of the youth.

Over the years, the company has continuously expanded its vocational skills programs, notably with initiatives like the Vedanta Skill School program in Korba, Chhattisgarh, offering training in various trades including food & beverage, welding, tailoring, hospitality, beautyetc.The company has also empowered women through the Subhalaxmi Co-operative in Odisha, supporting rural women in becoming successful entrepreneurs through micro-finance, skill development, financial literacy, and market linkage programs.

Additionally, through sustainable livelihood projects in Lanjigarh and the Mor Jal Mor Maati initiative in BALCO, Korba, Vedanta Aluminium offers training in integrated community-based interventions. These efforts aim to enhance incomes by promoting improved farming practices, water management, soil conservation, livestock husbandry, and other aspects, reviving farming among youths as a feasiblemeans of livelihood.Through these efforts, the company is actively helping foster increased entrepreneurship, sustainable economic development, and vibrant local economies across the country.