This programme aims at providing quality education to children from poor and displaced families in DAV School, Jharsuguda. 92% students (Vedanta supported) showed good results in Class X exams. The project started with 211 students and as on date three batches have appeared for class 10th board examinations.

Vedanta initiated basic computer literacy for 150 young students at the peripheral villages and schools through three computer centres in partnership with Vedanta Foundation. Students undergo a six-month course and a certificate is given after completion of the course.

Vedanta BUDHHI Kit, a programme that is the brainchild of IIT Delhi’s Deep Tech startup, aims to promote use of Artificial Intelligence in CBSE/ICSE affiliated schools in peripheral villages. This project covers two schools and will benefit over 500 students.

Vedanta Mini Science Centre enhances aptitude and skills of students in learning science and mathematics effectively through use of models. The project was inaugurated by the District Collector in FY'20. Due to Covid 19 pandemic, physical classes were stalled and moved to online platform. More than 300 students from five government schools benefit from this fun learning practice, annually.

Mobile health unit services was started to provide doorstep primary health service to the community in 27 peripheral villages in partnership with Wockhardt Foundation. A massive footfall of 17,475 was seen through a total 1,021 MHU camps in FY'21. The project initially started with 14 villages and now covers 27 villages.

Project ‘Jagruti – Employer-Led Model (ELM) on HIV/AIDS prevention’ is a HIV AIDS awareness campaign for community, truckers, direct and indirect employees, in partnership with OSASC and District Health Department. Till date the project has reached around 35,000 people through various initiatives such as awareness drives, street plays, etc.

With the objective to provide preventive and curative healthcare services, Vedanta Limited, Jharsuguda, organised Health & Awareness Camps on Malaria, Diarrhea, Dengue, Filaria, Pulse Polio and also observed national & international days like weeklong Hand Washing Day, World Diabetic Day, World Breastfeeding week, covering more than 12,100 people from peripheral region.

Bhoomi Pujan ceremony of Pathology Laboratory and Diagnostic Centre at Jharsuguda and Laikera block was held on January 27, 2021 and January 31, 2021 in the presence of the Hon’ble minister, Health & Family Welfare, GoO, Hon’ble MP, Bargarh, District Magistrate & Collector, CEO of Vedanta Ltd JSG, Chief District Medical Officer and other dignitaries. By this initiative nearly 5,00,000 locals of Jharsuguda as well as nearby districts will be benefitted.

Under this project, sanitation activities were undertaken at two locations covering almost 2,000 people. Drinking water was supplied to 16 wards/locations of Jharsuguda Municipality to mitigate shortage of drinking water supply during summers in the district.

A farm-based livelihood initiative in the name of ‘Jeevika Samriddhi’ was launched in October 2019 by the District Collector, Jharsuguda in presence of the CEO of Vedanta, Jharsuguda. The major components and focus of the project are:

• 1. Community Mobilisation - Development of Agriculture Production Cluster, formation of Farmer Producer Organisation (FPO)
• 2. Development of irrigation infrastructure in collaboration with government schemes
• 3. Promotion of Cash Crops with advanced Package of Practices (PoP)
• 4. Technology integration to enhance productivity
• 5. Facilitation for post-harvest management and marketing
• 6. Mobilisation of government schemes through convergence
• 7. Training farmers to enhance their skills

Impact created

• Mobilisation of 250 farmers and enrolment of 10 Farmers Producer Groups (25 farmers in each) in 3 villages.
• Nearly 50 acres of land covered for cash crop (input support from Vedanta, KVK, ATMA & Horticulture department). Agri inputs like seeds, fertilisers, organic compost and training provided to 250 farmers in 3 villages.
• Mid-term Evaluation Study by NIT Rourkela stated:
  • a) Increase of 43.48% in household income, from an average of INR 27,000 to INR 40,000.
  • b) More than 70% of farmers are involved in cultivation round-the-year due to the irrigation facility provided under this project (earlier it was seasonal farming).
• Farm to Shop’ initiative under project Jeevika Samridhhi made fresh vegetables available in the township during Covid lockdown. Around 277 quintals of vegetables were sold by a group of 3-4 farmers through a supply chain model which engaged more than 100 farmers from 3 villages. This ensured a per day income of Rs 1,500 for the farmers.
• Around 8 rounds of training were conducted in 3 intervention villages covering 250 farmers on crop plan and management, post-harvest management and PoP by experts from Krishi Vigyan Kendra, horticultural department, and other government departments.

Subhalaxmi Cooperative, has emerged as a model community-based organisation in Jharsuguda district of Odisha. A member-owned and member-managed women’s institution, it is designed to create a landmark for the underprivileged people of the locality by uplifting their socio-economic conditions and ensuring livelihood security of their family.

Impact created (FY 2020-21)

• One of the largest women cooperatives of western regions of Odisha with more than 4,100 women in 339 SHGs.
• Under the micro finance service of Subhalaxmi, Rs 245.54 Lakh loan amount has been given to 871 members for enterprise development in FY’21. The repayment rate is 38.43% till Mar 2021, quite less due to the accumulated outstanding amount during the Covid 19 period (due to repayment exemption/ moratorium period). However, the monthly repayment rate is more than 95%.
• More than 1,361 rural women are now micro entrepreneurs dealing in Farm & Non-Farm (tailoring, agriculture, fabrication, paper plate & cup making, animal husbandry, etc) products.
• Mahila Kalyan Panthi: Till date 1,034 beneficiaries have benefitted including meritorious students who received cash grants.
• Convergence
  • a) One unit of Layer Farming (1,000 birds’ capacity) from Dept of AH & VS.
  • b) One SHG of Subhalaxmi Co-op, Maa Metakani SHG, has received an order of approx. Rs 21 lakhs from District Education Department for stitching uniforms for 3,520 students.
• Training & Capacity Building: Total 895 members were trained on farm & non-farm trades from 169 SHGs in FY'21 through 31 training programmes. A 3 months tailoring course was completed at R & R Colony. Valedictory event was organised at R & R Colony for the passing out of 32 trainees.

Vedanta Limited, Jharsuguda, is committed to improving the quality of life of the people living around the plant periphery. The company provides basic and advanced infrastructure facilities to the community through construction of roads, culverts, drains, tube wells, ponds, community centres, temples, electrification, installation of CCTV cameras, etc. In FY'21, community infrastructures like community centre, Sanskrutik Bhavan, tube well, ponds have been created. More than 575 key infrastructure assets have been created and dedicated to the community till date.

The company supports local sports and cultural events. Various sporting events were organised and cultural programmes were supported. As a part of this initiative, national level footballer Ms Tanuja Bag has been roped in to coach around 50 young adults and children of Maa Smaleswari Nagar (R & R Colony).

Vedanta Limited, Jharsuguda, started a first-of-its-kind initiative for plantation of trees in PPP mode to increase the green coverage in Jharsuguda. Till date more than 1.43 lakh saplings have been planted. The survival rate of the plants is more than 85%. Awareness building & community plantation have been done with participation from the local community and school children in peripheral villages.

Vedanta Ltd. Jharsuguda has a structured EVP programme. The employees participate and engage in various community development programmes. In FY’21, total 351 days and 951 hours were spent on Covid 19 relief activities, Fire Safety Program, Road Safety Program, Pulse Polio immunisation programme and Plantation drive by Vedanta women employees on the occasion of International Women’s Day.

The company, as a responsible corporate, came forward and joined hands with the government for following relief activities:

• Flood Relief Support at district Jajpur: Due to heavy rainfall, the coastal district of Odisha was affected badly. The company’s CSR team directly participated in distributing relief material to 500 affected families.