On the occasion of World Youth Skills Day, Vedanta Aluminium announced that nearly 11,000 youths across Odisha and Chhattisgarh have been trained through its skill development initiatives. Focussing on rural communities near its operations, these programmes are designed and deployed in close partnership with leading knowledge providers such as Nabard and the National Institute of Solar Energy, ensuring that youths are trained only on relevant curriculum and in-demand skill sets.
Balco, a subsidiary of Vedanta Aluminium based in Korba in Chhattisgarh, has undertaken the Vedanta Skill School programme that imparts free training in six trades, including food and beverage, welding, sewing machine operation, solar PV technician, electrician and fitter. At Lanjigarh in Odisha, home to Vedanta’s alumina refinery, the company has launched a skill training programme in partnership with Nabard, creating employment opportunities by enhancing skill sets in areas such as housekeeping and tailoring. Vedanta Aluminium has also partnered with the Skill Development Institute in Bhubaneswar to offer youths in Sundargarh in Odisha a chance to train as industrial electricians. The company has also introduced a drivers’ training programme in partnership with Society for Government of Odisha at the Ashok Leyland HMV Driver Training Institute in Cuttack. These skilling programmes typically range in duration between two and six months.
In addition, Vedanta Aluminium is also empowering rural women through the Subhalaxmi Co-operative in Odisha, benefiting over 4,000 members. The project provides micro-finance, skill development, financial literacy and market linkage. By equipping artisans with modern techniques, the company has revived ancient art forms like dokra and saura. This inclusive approach extends to local self-help groups in Chhattisgarh, where skill development programmes enable women to take up production of market-viable products, from handicrafts to exotic chocolates.
Through its Jeevika Samriddhi livelihood project, the company has also conducted several sessions on climate resilient farming practice and modern practices on animal husbandry, benefitting more than 330 households. Through its Project Sustainable Livelihood in Lanjigarh and Mor Jal Mor Maati project in Korba, the company provides training in a number of integrated community-based interventions that strive to improve incomes through better farming practices, water management, soil conservation, livestock husbandry, market linkages and more.
Tribute to the Bard
To commemorate the 459th birth year of William Shakespeare, and celebrate National Shakespeare Day, the English department of Durgapur Government College put up a wall exhibition in collaboration with the IQAC of the college. The themes featured included the Shakespearean stage, Shakespeare’s houses, Shakespearean tragedies, romantic comedies, tragicomedies and sonnets. The exhibition was called Shakespearenama and the students put up an excellent show.
