Vedanta Limited, Lanjigarh, India's leading producer of metallurgical grade alumina, has established the ‘Sashakti Suvidha Kendra' to assist local women in sustaining their livelihood in the face of the pandemic's various challenges.
The Sashakti Suvidha Kendras are designed to help women's self-help groups (SHGs) market and sell products such as turmeric, ragi, various spices, dry snacks, puffed rice, pulses, rice, paper plates, phenyl, soft brooms, and so on.
Mr. G.G Pal, Dy. CEO – Alumina Business, and Mr. Javed Khan, Block Program Coordinator, Lanjigarh, jointly inaugurated the Sashakti Suvidha Kendra. Vedanta established it in Champadeipur, Lanjigarh, in collaboration with the Shaktimayee Foundation, the apex body of Vedanta's Sakhi Project for women empowerment.
This initiative aims to cover over 3000 SHG members across 44 villages in the Vedanta Lanjigarh catchment area, with the goal of enabling women through financial empowerment, especially as the entire nation faces the challenge of COVID-19.
“Vedanta has always made the effort to catalyze positive transformation in the lives of communities residing in the periphery of its operations. The women members of the SHGs in and around Lanjigarh have paved their path towards self-reliance and self-empowerment over the years and Vedanta is proud to be an enabler in their journey. Our Sashakti Suvidha Kendra will provide these spirited women entrepreneurs a platform to sell their products profitably and provide for their families, even amidst the pandemic,” says, Mr. G.G. Pal, Deputy CEO – AluminaBusiness while talking about this initiative.
Acknowledging Vedanta’s efforts, Mr. Javed Khan, Block Program Coordinator, Lanjigarh said, “I am glad that Vedanta and Shaktimayee Foundation have partnered to provide the opportunity and platform to the women of Lanjigarh, to become self-empowered. This initiative of providing a marketing facilitation centre will not only support the self-help groups in having a structured way of selling their products and gain due financial gains, but also help them cope up with the ongoing pandemic.”
As part of its efforts to empower women, Vedanta Lanjigarh has provided numerous opportunities for women to improve their livelihoods, develop their skills, and build their capacity over the years.
During the lockdown last year, Vedanta also enlisted these SHGs to sew masks for mass distribution among communities, providing them with an alternate source of income during the difficult times.
Vedanta's social interventions in the areas of sustainable livelihood, women empowerment, quality education, health, water and sanitation, bio-investment, and community infrastructure benefit approximately a lakh people per year in Lanjigarh and surrounding areas.
It empowers over 3000 women through 305 self-help groups (SHGs), provides healthcare services to approximately 30,000 people annually, provides educational support to over 2800 students, has planted over 5.4 lakh trees in the community, and has built 500+ community infrastructure projects.
Since 2007, the company has operated a 2 MTPA (million tonnes per annum) capacity alumina refinery in Lanjigarh (Kalahandi district, Odisha), India, as well as a 90 MW captive power plant.
