The Business Bytes
TBB BUREAU
JHARSUGUDA, JULY 16
Vedanta Aluminium, India’s largest producer of aluminium and value-added products, has dedicated an approach road under the bridge (RUB) to residents of the Jharsuguda district. The RUB was inaugurated by State Health & Family Welfare Minister Naba Kishore Das in presence of Vedanta Ltd. Jharsuguda CEO CN Singh, Bargarh MP Suresh Pujari, Jharsuguda Collector Saroj Kumar Samal, Superintendent of Police Bikash Chandra Dash, ECoR Sambalpur Divisional Railway Manager Pradeep Kumar and other eminent dignitaries of the region.
The 1.6-Km long newly built approach road, which connects Vedanta’s main gate to Sambalpur-Rourkela State Highway, will ease traffic movement in the region and provide better connectivity to residents from Brundamal, Banjari, Bhurkamunda, Bhagipali, Katikela, and other villages heading to Sambalpur and beyond, the company said in a statement.
It will also help reduce traffic congestion created near the Sunarimunda Chowk due to the railway line, it added.
Vedanta Jharsuguda has, additionally, beautified the approach road by planting trees, provided footpaths and installed safety signages to ensure proper adherence to road safety rules by the users.
Thanking Vedanta Ltd, the Railway Authority and the District Administration for the successful completion of this RUB project, and lauding Vedanta’s initiative, Minister Das said, “Vedanta has always been at the forefront of contribution towards the development of Jharsuguda. There will be a drastic reduction in traffic with the help of this RUB. This road will also benefit the public.” He sought Vedanta’s continued support in the journey of Jharsuguda’s progress.
Das also lauded Vedanta’s contribution for the establishment of COVID hospital at Bhawanipatna and Deogarh districts.
Speaking on the occasion, CEO CN Singh said, “Developing sustainable community infrastructures is one of the key pillars in our social responsibility endeavours. We dedicate the approach road under the bridge to the people of Jharsuguda, with the hope that it will serve them well. We will continue to work closely with the Jharsuguda District Administration, as the region’s partner in progress, to improve the quality of life of the local communities.”
Vedanta has developed several community infrastructures such as approach roads, culverts, drains, tube wells, ponds, community centres, places of worship, electrification of roads, installation of CCTV cameras, etc. to improve quality of life in the region.
This year, the company also revamped the community centre and cultural landmark ‘Sanskruti Bhavan’ for the locals, making it functional for public meetings and various events. Till date, more than 500 key infrastructure assets have been created by the company for the Jharsuguda community.
Vedanta’s social interventions in the domains of quality education sustainable livelihood, women empowerment, health, water and sanitation, bio-investment and community infrastructure reach out to a total of 72 villages in Jharsuguda and nearby areas, benefiting nearly 80,000 people in a year. It empowers more than 4000 women from over 339 SHGs, provides doorstep healthcare services to about 32,000 people annually, gives educational support to more than 6400 students, has planted more than 1.48 lakh trees in partnership with locals at the community level.
Vedanta is India’s largest producer of the green metal, aluminium, operating a world-class 1.6 MTPA aluminium smelter and 3615 MW thermal power generation facility in Jharsuguda, 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 one of the largest technically qualified and diverse workforces in the country, the company is working towards a sustainable and greener future for all by spurring emerging applications of aluminium, the ‘Metal of the Future’.
