The Business Bytes
TBB BUREAU
BHUBANESWAR, APRIL 01, 2023
On Utkal Divas, Vedanta Aluminium reiterates its commitment to accelerating Odisha’s growth momentum through its manufacturing excellence and developmental initiatives.
Odisha represents Vedanta’s single largest investment anywhere in the world, as home to a world-class 2 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) Alumina Refinery at Lanjigarh in Kalahandi district and the world’s largest Aluminium Smelter at Jharsuguda with 1.8 MTPA capacity. Both plants are widely hailed for connecting remote regions in the state to socio-economic mainstream, while also contributing about 4 per cent to Odisha’s Gross State Domestic Product. Propelling the juggernaut of Odisha’s progress over the years, Vedanta Aluminium has created state-of-the-art aluminium plants & infrastructure, making Odisha the ‘Aluminium Capital of India’; created over 5 lakh livelihood opportunities; supported the growth of hundreds of MSMEs, especially in remote regions; triggered exponential district GDP growth, from 1 per cent to 16 per cent in Kalahandi and 15 per cent in Jharsuguda, in the 2003-2015 period, putting them on the global map; supplied about 20 billion units of electricity, reducing power cuts in Odisha at a time when the state was suffering from acute power shortage; positioned Odisha at the heart of India’s manufacturing scene by producing one of the largest product ranges in aluminium, including ‘Restora’ – India’s first green aluminium; and connected Odisha to a vibrant international trade network, by supplying to over 50 countries from its aluminium smelter at Jharsuguda.
Wishing the people of Odisha on Utkal Divas, Vedanta Ltd. CEO – Aluminium Business Rahul Sharma said, “With the aluminium industry deemed a ‘Champion Sector’ by the Government of India, Odisha has a crucial role to play in propelling India’s journey towards a USD 5 trillion economy. The Government of Odisha’s 5T framework has improved ease of doing business in the state, creating immense opportunities for organizations and citizens alike. Vedanta Aluminium is proud to be Odisha’s partner in progress and we are determined to use the full potential of our assets to make this state the aluminium destination of the world. Alongside this, on Utkal Divas, we also vow to continue working towards enabling the communities around us to become empowered and self-reliant participants in their own socio-economic development, and through them of the state and country.”
Odisha is uniquely positioned to accelerate its growth by unlocking the full potential of the domestic aluminium industry. In this direction, Vedanta Aluminium has recently announced the Vedanta Aluminium Park, a state-of-the-art facility that will bring more aluminium-based industries to Odisha. This will maximize value addition and further deepen the industrialisation in the state, ushering in a new era for Indian manufacturing.
Parallelly, Vedanta Aluminium’s developmental endeavours in the realms of education, healthcare, livelihood, skill development, sports, art & culture, continue to benefit nearly 2.5 lakh people in over 130 villages in Jharsuguda, Sundargarh, Kalahandi, Rayagada and nearby districts. The continuous endeavours of Vedanta Aluminium in the direction of Odisha’ development has started fructifying in the form of national and international recognition to the state’s manufacturing prowess, cultural legacy, unique art forms and heritage. The kinetics of Odisha’s growth has been tremendous over the decade, and Vedanta Aluminium is pledged to keep this momentum going.
On the foundation day of Odisha, Vedanta Aluminium announces its intent to take traditional art forms such as Dhokra and Saura up a notch by introducing new, contemporary designs which are more remunerative and present higher earning potential for the artisans. The company intends to showcase these statement pieces at high-end art galleries and premier hotel chains, showcasing exquisitely crafted pieces of Odisha’s rich culture and history to people across the nation. In its endeavours to revive and reinvigorate these fading art forms, Vedanta Aluminium trains artisans to produce more profitable contemporary designs through modern techniques, supports them in participating in various events, exhibitions and art shows to promote and sell their work at a better price, and provides financial assistance as well as financial literacy trainings for the artists to grow and properly utilise their hard-earned money. The company is also exploring ways to enable the sale of these art pieces via e-commerce platforms and lifestyle portals, thus giving them access to a wider audience.
Further, the company has also partnered with the Odisha Rural Development and Marketing Society (ORMAS) to provide support in the physical display of products in Bhubaneswar-based shops and monetary grants to the artisans’ producer group in Lanjigarh who practice Dhokra.
Recently, Vedanta Aluminium supported the artists in participating in various leading exhibitions, including the Make in Odisha Conclave at Bhubaneswar, where they gained market exposure and clocked more sales. In FY23 alone, the artists clocked sales worth Rs 7 lakh, which led to a 15 per cent average growth in their household income.
Similarly, the company has been running an archery training program at Lanjigarh to nurture the innate skills of the local youth at the grassroots level, who are now proudly showcasing their sporting talent at major tournaments. The company has provided them extensive support in the form of professional training, top-quality equipment and uniforms/jerseys, and for participating in national tournaments. Today, there are about 40 students being trained in archery, which is one of India’s longstanding indigenous sports and has close links to the tribal culture still. In FY22-23 alone, its archery students bagged 34 medals, winning 11 gold, 9 silver and 14 bronze medals.
Vedanta Aluminium, a business of Vedanta Limited, is India’s largest producer of aluminium, manufacturing more than half of India’s aluminium i.e., 2.27 million tonnes in FY22. 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.
