Vedanta Limited, Lanjigarh, one India’s premier producer of smelter grade alumina and a unit of Vedanta Aluminium, has started the second phase of ‘Project Panchi’, a unique recruitment drive that aims to transform the lives of 1,000 girls from underserved communities across the country.
As part of the ‘Project Panchi’, Vedanta Lanjigarh will recruit girls who are likely to drop out from pursuing further studies and a fulfilling career due to socio-economic constraints.
As part of the project, the candidates are financially supported to pursue their higher education in leading institutes of national repute, and after its completion, are mapped to promising job roles within Vedanta.
Since the inception of the project last year, Vedanta Lanjigarh has identified more than 50 girls for recruitment, who are first-generation learners in their families.
Based on a thorough, phase-wise recruitment process, the company identified the right set of candidates across Rayagada and Kalahandi districts.
As of now, Vedanta Aluminium has identified more than 230 girls from remote communities in Lanjigarh, Jharsuguda, Korba, and Sundargarh, to be a part of the initiative.
Highlighting the importance of the initiative, Pranab Kumar Bhattacharyya, CEO – Alumina Business, Vedanta Aluminium said, “‘Project Panchhi’ has been developed under the direct guidance of our Chairman. Mr. Anil Agarwal. Through initiatives like these, Vedanta Lanjigarh strives to enhance the socio-economic landscape of the remote communities surrounding its operations, with a particular focus on empowering the young women who constitute a vital pillar of our society.”
He further added, “By providing them with substantial opportunities to excel, we are not only fulfilling our Chairman’s mandate but also paving the way for a transformative journey that promises to catalyze significant positive change throughout our areas of operations.”
Dilip Sinha, CHRO, Vedanta Aluminium, said, “Project Panchhi closely aligns with our company’s unwavering commitment to nurturing diversity, equity, and inclusion within our dynamic workforce. We strongly believe that these girls will go on to become leaders and inspire others in their communities to pursue fulfilling careers.”
Expressing her gratitude, Shital Karuan, one of the girls selected under the program said that it was a life-changing opportunity for him.
“This is a life-changing opportunity for many young aspiring women like me whose aspirations for higher education and thriving careers once seemed beyond reach. Vedanta’s unwavering support promises to not only reshape our professional trajectories but also ignite transformative journeys of personal growth,” she said.
Project Panchhi strives towards towards inclusive development of the local communities, in line with Vedanta’s overall vision for diversity, equity and inclusion.