Bhubaneswar, Odisha, 1 st June 2024 – Vedanta Limited, Lanjigarh, India’s premier producer of
smelter-grade alumina and a unit of Vedanta Aluminium, recently launched ‘Sangam: Jeevan,
Prakruti Aur Sanskriti Ka Ek Milan’, an initiative that aims to support rural farmers through the
development of climate-resilient livelihoods. Integrating sustainable agricultural practices,
technological interventions, and natural resource management, Project Sangam is being rolled
out across more than 40 villages and is set to benefit over 500 families.
Kalahandi is primarily an agrarian region with limited livelihood opportunities. It also witnesses
low levels of rainfall, except during the monsoons. In response, Project Sangam has been
designed as a comprehensive roadmap of efforts to augment the socio-economic development
of the region by integrating natural resources management and long-term livelihood
opportunities.
Among these interventions is the establishment of Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs) – a
federation of small farmers who aggregate their produce to avail the benefits of economies of
scale. Additionally, community members will be imparted skill development and capacity-
building training in sustainable and profitable non-farm-based activities like pottery. Some of the
women farmers have already taken up entrepreneurial pursuits like beekeeping, which have the
potential to generate a viable income with nominal investment requirements.
To ensure consistent production and yield maximization, various agricultural management
practices will also be deployed, such as trellises for supporting crops, NADEP method of
composting, and soil testing mechanisms. They offer multiple cost-effective advantages such as
enriching the soil and ensuring systematic cropping for abundant yields.
Several water-based assets will also be developed under Project Sangam to augment
groundwater retention and ensure water availability. It will include the construction of surplus
weirs and ponds, revival of canals, enabling crop diversification and animal husbandry activities.
The revival of water sources will provide irrigation to over 60% of cultivable areas in the region.
Commenting on the significance of the project, Mr. Pranab Kumar Bhattacharyya, CEO –
Alumina Business, Vedanta Ltd said, “Creating sustainable livelihood avenues for
underserved communities is an endeavour towards the wider socio-economic elevation of the
region. By developing an ecosystem that facilitates the creation of sustainable livelihoods,
Project Sangam will contribute significantly towards our communities becoming self-sufficient
and empowered.”
Sensitivity: Public (C4)
Mr. Shankar Chandi, a farmer in Kalahandi district, expressed his gratitude, saying “Earlier,
Kalahandi was renowned for its jaggery due to the fine taste and rich color. But sugarcane
cultivation did not prove viable due to climate extremities and lack of water resources. Today,
through this project, we are able to revive its production once again through proper agronomic
practices and water replenishment initiatives, enabling us to derive a livable income.”
Vedanta Lanjigarh’s social interventions in the domains of sustainable livelihood, quality
education, women empowerment, health, water and sanitation and community infrastructure
reach out to over 67 villages and nearby areas. It empowers more than 4000 women from over
378 SHGs; provides qualitative and doorstep healthcare services to about 60,000 people
annually; established Lanjigarh’s first English-medium school- DAV Vedanta International
School; nurturing 4000 children and 800 women in over 200 Nand Ghars equipped with state-of-
the-art facilities and empowering around 200 youth through sports and skill training initiatives.
Vedanta Aluminium, a business of Vedanta Limited, is India’s largest producer of aluminium,
manufacturing more than half of India’s aluminium i.e., 2.37 million tonnes in FY24. It is a leader
in value-added aluminium products that find critical applications in core industries. Vedanta
Aluminium ranks 1st in the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment 2023 world
rankings for the 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.