Tag: Mr. Rahul Sharma

Business

Vedanta Aluminium unveils Sustainable Development Report for FY21

Dec 15, 2021 by Gouri Achary 0 Comments #Future, #Global Reporting Initiative, #Mr. Rahul Sharma, #Nature, #Nurture, #Prof. Shaleen Singhal, #Vedanta Aluminium

Vedanta Aluminium Business, India’s largest producer of aluminium and its value-added products, unveiled its Sustainable Development Report (SDR) for FY 2020-21 today i.e., National Energy Conservation Day, in campus connect program with the TERI School of Advanced Studies (TERI SAS). Students, alumni and faculty from TERI SAS participated in the programme.

Titled ‘Nature, Nurture, Future’, Vedanta Aluminium’s Sustainable Development Report encapsulates the Business’ performance across key sustainability parameters such as Energy and Climate Change Management, Water Management, Biodiversity Management, Air Quality and Emissions control, Health & Safety, Social Impact and Governance, etc. for the FY 2020-21 performance period.

The report can be accessed on the company website: www.vedantaaluminium.com

Launching the report, Mr Rahul Sharma, CEO – Aluminium Business, Vedanta Ltd. said, “The principles of sustainability are imbibed in every aspect of the way we conduct our business. It is imperative for us that our business growth materializes in a sustainable manner through judicious and responsible utilization of resources, the highest efficiency of assets and processes, and a focused approach towards carbon mitigation. We are committed to the decarbonisation of our operations in the long term. As India’s largest aluminium producer, we are unrelenting in our pursuit of excellence in all aspects of business, including Environment, Social and Governance (ESG).”

Prof. Shaleen Singhal, Dean (Research and Partnerships) at TERI SAS, added, “TERI School of Advance Studies students and faculty members are delighted to be part of this launch event that demonstrates Vedanta Aluminium’s commitment to sustainability. This unique university-corporate partnership shall advance the frontiers of knowledge creation and practice for sustainable development.”

Prepared in accordance with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards, the report outlines Vedanta Aluminium’s approach to sustainable and responsible development aligned to United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) Principles and United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN-SDGs).

Key highlights from the report for FY21 include:

· Operational excellence parameters for the production of aluminium

· Vedanta Aluminium distributed economic value to the tune of USD 4.19 billion

· Climate action initiatives have resulted in GHG emission intensity reduction by 21% at the Aluminium Business against FY 2011-12 as the baseline

· Towards decarbonization of operations, Vedanta Aluminium has set a target of achieving a 24% reduction in GHG emissions intensity over the 2012 baseline by FY 2025.

· Recycled 16.5 billion litres of water across operations

· 93% of mined-out area rehabilitated as part of biodiversity management

· 308 Million Units of renewable power purchased for producing aluminium

· 1.4 Million GJ in energy savings through energy conservation efforts, resulting in equivalent GHG savings of 0.32 million tCO2e (tonnes of Carbon Dioxide equivalent)

· 118% of the generated ash utilized in avenues such as mine backfilling, raw material for cement and brick manufacturing, road construction, and low-lying area filling

· 14% women professionals in management positions across the business

· Deep interventions in community welfare dimensions of livelihood and skill development, women’s empowerment, quality education, health & sanitation, etc. improving lives of 5 lakh people hailing from local communities

· Since the outbreak of COVID, Vedanta Aluminium has supported the local communities, district administrations, state governments, central government, with grocery supplies, PPEs, medical equipment, oxygen, financial contribution, and many other need-based requirements

Vedanta Aluminium Business, a division of Vedanta Limited, is India’s largest manufacturer of aluminium, producing over half of India’s aluminium i.e., 1.97 million tonnes in FY21. It is a leader in value-added aluminium products that find critical applications in core industries. 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.

Business

Vedanta Aluminium shines at the Perform, Achieve & Trade (PAT) Cycle-II scheme by the Ministry of Power, Govt. of India

Sep 28, 2021 by Rekha Nair 0 Comments #CEO – Vedanta Aluminium Business, #Mr. Rahul Sharma

New Delhi: Vedanta Aluminium Business, India’s largest producer of aluminium and value-added products, has bagged top spots at Perform, Achieve and Trade (PAT) Cycle-II among the Indian Aluminium Industry. Perform Achieve and Trade (PAT) scheme is a regulatory instrument deployed by the Ministry of Power, Government of India, to reduce specific energy consumption in energy-intensive industries with an associated market-based mechanism to enhance cost-effectiveness through certification of excess energy savings, which can be traded.

Among Aluminium Smelters in India, Vedanta’s subsidiary Bharat Aluminium Company (BALCO) secured the coveted top spot with the highest Energy Saving Certificates, followed by Vedanta Jharsuguda’s Smelter I. Vedanta’s Alumina Refinery at Lanjigarh, ranked highest among peer alumina producers. An alumina refinery is a plant where bauxite is refined into aluminium oxide or alumina, and an aluminium smelter is a plant where aluminium is produced from alumina. These achievements bear testimony to Vedanta Aluminium’s robust endeavours towards energy conservation for business and environmental sustainability.

Speaking about Vedanta’s energy stewardship, Mr Rahul Sharma, CEO – Vedanta Aluminium Business, said, “Being India’s largest aluminium producer, our aim at Vedanta Aluminium is to be the best in all facets of business, including Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) sustainability. Maximising energy conservation and minimising carbon footprint are two key pillars of our sustainable business development agenda. A three-pronged strategy of ensuring judicious resource usage, energy-efficient operations, and renewable energy sourcing, helps us further our energy sustainability and climate action goals. Towards this, we have adopted global best-practises in energy and resource management, and deployed cutting-edge solutions to reduce our carbon footprint.”

Energy management is at the heart of Vedanta Aluminium’s climate action roadmap, and finds realization through dedicated efforts towards attaining highest operational efficiency of assets and processes. These include impactful initiatives for optimisation of specific energy consumption in production processes and a long-term focus on migrating to low carbon energy mix.

Mr. Prafulla Behera, Site In-Charge of IGSEC Heavy Engineering Limited, which is the Operations & Maintenance partner for Power Plant at Lanjigarh, adds, “With our engineering and domain expertise, we have been working with Vedanta on their energy efficiency and energy sustainability targets. We are proud to be playing a crucial role in Vedanta’s journey towards being a forerunner in the field of energy conservation and ensuring maximum energy optimization at its world-class refinery operations.”

Vedanta’s Alumina Refinery, Aluminium Smelters and Power Plants have been forerunners in the realm of energy management, among the Indian manufacturing sectors. Few notable initiatives and highlights:

· Vedanta Aluminium was India’s largest green power purchaser in Q1FY22, having procured 354 million units of solar and non-solar renewable energy for its aluminium smelter at Jharsuguda.

· Vedanta Aluminium Business has significantly reduced its GHG emission intensity by 21% with 2012 as baseline, and aims to reduce it by 24% in 2025 over the same baseline.

· Climate action initiatives across all Business Units have resulted in energy conservation of 1.4 million GJ and GHG savings of 0.32 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e) in FY 20-21.

· Vedanta’s aluminium smelter at Jharsuguda is India’s first, and the world’s third smelter to deploy Digital Smelter Solution, which uses digital twin technology, predictive and prescriptive analytics to enhance energy efficiency.

· The Jharsuguda smelter is also the amongst the first few aluminium smelters in Asia to receive ISO 50001 certificate for Energy Management System.

· BALCO Vedanta’s subsidiary at Chhattisgarh, achieved lowest specific power consumption in its Potline-I in 2020, which is among the best in India and the Gulf countries. A potline is a long building, or collection of buildings, located in a smelter and contains a series of ‘pots’, or large electrolytic cells, in which aluminium smelting is carried out.

· Vedanta Lanjigarh’s specific energy consumption has reduced by over 23% over the last five years, making it one of the most energy efficient refineries in the country.

· Vedanta’s ‘Carbon Forum’ is actively working on guiding implementation of the company’s carbon mitigation approach.

Vedanta Aluminium Business, a division of Vedanta Limited, is India’s largest manufacturer of aluminium, producing half of India’s aluminium i.e. 1.96 million tonnes in FY21. It is a leader in value-added aluminium products that find critical applications in core industries. 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.

Business, News

Vedanta Aluminium becomes India’s largest green power purchaser

Aug 2, 2021 by Rekha Nair 0 Comments #CEO – Vedanta Aluminium Business, #IEX, #Mr. Rahul Sharma, #Mr. Rohit Bajaj, #Senior Vice President & Head-Business Development

New Delhi: Vedanta Aluminium Business, India’s largest producer of aluminium and value-added products, became India’s largest green power purchaser on the Green Market at the Indian Energy Exchange Limited (IEX) platform in Q1 FY 21-22. For its largest integrated aluminium production facility at Jharsuguda, in Odisha, Vedanta procured 354 million units of solar and non-solar renewable energy primarily from Green Term-Ahead Market (GTAM) at IEX.

IEX is a premiere energy marketplace and is the largest power exchange in the country. GTAM, introduced last year by IEX, supports buyers in procuring green energy in the most competitive and flexible manner. The purchase of green power from the exchange has enabled organisations like Vedanta and the industry at large to achieve their carbon-mitigation targets while producing ‘green’ value-added products. Vedanta Aluminium’s purchase of green power units is more than 35% of the green power traded on IEX in Q1 FY22.

Vedanta Aluminium’s energy stewardship manifests itself through a two-pronged strategy – a sharp focus on attaining highest efficiency of assets and processes for excellent energy management, and a roadmap towards carbon neutrality that includes adopting the right mix of feasible avenues for increasing consumption share of green energy. Case in point, Vedanta Aluminium bagged three Gold Awards at the Society of Energy Engineers and Managers (SEEM) National Energy Management Awards 2020 for outstanding energy performance by its Aluminium Smelters I & II and Captive Power Plant at Jharsuguda. Vedanta’s Smelter-I at Jharsuguda and Alumina Refinery at Lanjigarh, also bagged ‘First Prize’ each at the prestigious National Energy Conservation Awards 2020 (NECA 2020) by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), Government of India. An Alumina Refinery is a plant where bauxite (the ore of aluminum) undergoes refining to produce aluminum oxide or alumina, and an Aluminum Smelter is a plant where alumina undergoes electrolytic reduction to produce pure aluminum.

Speaking about Vedanta’s approach towards carbon mitigation, Mr. Rahul Sharma, CEO – Vedanta Aluminium Business said, “Our sustainability imperatives are designed to fulfil our climate impact reduction targets, which are in complete alignment with the goals of Paris Agreement and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) submitted by the Government of India. To that end, our efforts have been towards adopting global best-practises in energy management and deploying advanced technologies to reduce our carbon footprint. Our long-term strategy focuses on migrating to low carbon energy mix, with gradual shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy, to produce green aluminium.”

Appreciating Vedanta Aluminium’s green energy stewardship, Mr. Rohit Bajaj, Senior Vice President & Head-Business Development, IEX, said, “At IEX, our constant focus has been to build a customer centric energy marketplace leveraging innovation and technology towards building India as a sustainable and efficient energy economy. The Green Term-Ahead Market offers the market participants an opportunity to trade in delivery based solar and non-solar renewable energy at the most competitive prices in a flexible manner. The market segment has been operational for over a year now and has received splendid response from industries, especially the energy intensive ones as well as the distribution utilities.

IEX congratulates Vedanta Aluminium Business for being a leading participant in the green market and greatly appreciates their efforts in inspiring the industry at large to step up green energy procurement and reduce carbon footprint. We believe India Inc. has a vital role to play in building a sustainable energy future for the industry and our country.”

Vedanta Aluminium’s operations are aligned to the recommendations made by the Task Force on Climate related Financial Disclosures (TCFD). Vedanta Aluminium’s Business Units have always been forerunners in the field of energy efficiency and sustainability. Few notable initiatives and highlights:

Vedanta Aluminium has significantly reduced its GHG emission intensity by 21% with 2012 as baseline and aims to reduce it by 24% in 2025 over the same baseline.

Reduction in indirect energy consumption of 2 million Giga Joules (GJ) between FY20 and FY21 at Vedanta Aluminium’s captive assets.

Climate action initiatives across all Business Units have resulted in energy conservation of 1.4 million GJ and GHG savings of 0.32 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e) in FY 20-21.

Vedanta’s aluminium smelter at Jharsuguda is India’s first, and the world’s third smelter to deploy Digital Smelter Solution, which uses digital twin technology, to enhance energy efficiency.

The Jharsuguda smelter is also the first aluminium smelter in Asia to receive ISO 50001 certificate for Energy Management System since 2013.

Bharat Aluminium Company (BALCO), Vedanta’s subsidiary at Chhattisgarh, achieved lowest specific power consumption in its Potline-I in 2020, setting a benchmark among Aluminium Smelters in India and the Gulf countries. A potline is a long building, or collection of buildings, located in a smelter and contains a series of ‘pots’, or large. electrolytic cells, in which aluminium smelting is carried out.

Vedanta’s ‘Carbon Forum’ is actively working on guiding implementation of the company’s carbon mitigation approach.

Vedanta Aluminium Business in Odisha & Chhattisgarh, a division of Vedanta Limited, is India’s largest manufacturer of aluminium, producing half of India’s aluminium i.e. 1.96 million tonnes in FY21. It is a leader in value-added aluminium products that find critical applications in core industries. 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.

Business, News

Vedanta Aluminium invites waste-to-wealth partnerships with cement industry for low-carbon products

Jul 20, 2021 by Rekha Nair 0 Comments #CEO – Vedanta Aluminium Business, #Mr. Rahul Sharma

New Delhi: Vedanta Aluminium Business, India’s largest producer of the aluminium and value-added products, invites partnerships from cement producers for using its by-products for manufacturing low-carbon cement. The company expressed its interest for long-term collaboration with cement industry players on opportunities of using fly ash (a by-product in thermal power generation) and bauxite residue (a by-product of producing alumina from bauxite) in cement manufacturing, in a national workshop conducted with global industry experts.

The cement industry, which is exploring viable solutions to produce cement more sustainably, is the perfect circular economy partner for Vedanta Aluminium. Fly ash and bauxite residue, the two most voluminous by-products generated by the aluminium industry, can be used in cement and concrete manufacturing, providing cement manufacturers significant benefits in terms of quality output, cost and sustainability.

Fly ash can partially replace cement in concrete (or be used to produce blended cement), significantly improving durability and workability of cement. With a 30 – 33% blending ratio, fly ash can help save 270 kg of carbon emissions for every tonne of cement produced. Bauxite residue can be added to the raw mix in clinker manufacturing to replace virgin bauxite, improving its hydraulic properties and strength. Owing to high concentration of iron oxide and alumina, bauxite residue is a better substitute for laterite, used in clinker manufacturing. Moreover, the residual caustic in bauxite residue helps in controlling the emission of sulphur when used directly, making it a better fit for the purpose. Both fly ash and bauxite residue being industrial wastes themselves, come with significant cost and energy advantages as well.

Vedanta Aluminium’s technical workshop was attended by over a hundred executives from the cement industry and featured globally renowned experts in this domain – Mr. Shreesh Khadilkar, ex-Director of Quality and Product Development at one of India’s leading cement producers, and Mr. Robin De Beer, a concrete technologist from South Africa with 40+ years of experience in gainful utilization of fly ash in concrete.

Speaking at the webinar, Mr. Rahul Sharma, CEO – Vedanta Aluminium Business said, “We firmly believe that industries must develop waste-to-wealth value-chains to truly become sustainable. At Vedanta, we have made encouraging progress in this direction and intend to pursue it further. Long-term strategic collaborations, such as between Vedanta and India’s key cement producers, will not only eliminate significant volumes of industrial waste from the system, but also provide the trifecta of quality, sustainability and cost benefits for the cement industry. We hope the Indian cement producers come forth to work with us on this innovative solution, which is a true win-win scenario for the industry and environment.”

Sharing his insights and industry experience with the audience, Mr. Robin De Beer said, “Good quality fly ash can help reduce water demand, lower heat of hydration and significantly enhance workability of concrete, resulting in long-term strength and durability. This technical workshop is a great initiative by Vedanta to create awareness on how fly ash can support the sustainability agenda of the cement and concrete industry, while significantly improving the product performance.”

Mr. Shreesh Khadilkar added, “Bauxite residue has multiple advantages in cement manufacturing, such as lower silica relative to laterite/bauxite, higher alkali content and fine particles, which reduces grinding cost. It also improves hydraulic properties of cement. Indian cement industry should leverage this innovative opportunity to reap benefits of quality and sustainability.”

In line with its quest for fostering circular economy, in FY21, Vedanta Aluminium supplied over 3 lakh metric tonnes of fly ash to various cement plants in India. Since Feb’21, the company has also supplied over 30,000 metric tonnes of bauxite residue to cement manufacturers. The Business is additionally supplying fly ash free of cost to hundreds of local brick making MSMEs in its catchment. In FY21, Vedanta Aluminium supplied nearly 4 lakh metric tonnes of ash to brick manufacturers. Ash bricks are not only lighter and stronger than traditional clay bricks, but play a crucial role in preserving nutrient-rich topsoil from being used as the raw material. This amounts to estimated savings of 1.9 metric tonnes of topsoil for every tonne of ash brick manufactured. Besides, ash brick manufacturing is an eco-efficient process, contrary to the energy-intensive process of producing clay bricks in brick kilns that result in substantial greenhouse gas emissions. In fact, for every tonne of ash bricks manufactured, an estimated 5900 kg of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions is avoided.

 

Business, News

Vedanta Aluminium launches ‘#GreenHearts’ plantation campaign during Van Mahotsav week

Jul 3, 2021 by Rekha Nair 0 Comments #CEO – Aluminium Business, #Mr. Rahul Sharma, #Vedanta Ltd

New Delhi, July 01, 2021: Vedanta Aluminium, India’s largest producer of aluminium and its value-added products, has launched the ‘#GreenHearts’ campaign, encouraging all to plant a sapling in solidarity with COVID warriors and all who have been affected by the pandemic. The initiative, rolled out under the Vedanta Cares Green Cover project, has a two-pronged objective – to unite people with the hope of a better future as the pandemic has affected one and all, and to encourage people to plant saplings in solidarity with COVID warriors and in the memory of those who lost the fight to COVID.

The Vedanta Cares Green Cover initiative was launched on World Environment Day, with the aim of planting a million trees across the country. The #GreenHearts campaign is an initiative of the Vedanta Aluminium Business to rally people all over the country to come together and plant a sapling of hope for a better and greener future.

Mr. Rahul Sharma, CEO – Aluminium Business, Vedanta Ltd., said, “The global pandemic has affected all of us. Thousands of people are still battling the pandemic and its many consequences, as COVID warriors continue to work tirelessly to keep everyone safe. This Van Mahotsav week, we encourage you to stand in solidarity with them by planting saplings. At Vedanta Aluminium, our efforts are focused on creating sustained value along economic, environment and social dimensions, such as improving lives and livelihoods of our stakeholders and the local communities. With a pledge to substantially decarbonize our operations by 2050, we are determined in our approach to ensure responsible business growth that creates shared value for our country, customers and communities.”

At Vedanta Aluminium, good governance and sustainable development are the twin pillars that drive the company’s business aspirations. The company has deployed global best-in-class technologies and best practices to realize significant efficiencies in economic, environment and social parameters. In FY20,

· Vedanta Aluminium generated and distributed economic value to the tune of USD 4.8 billion

· Over USD 14 million was spent in community investments through social interventions in livelihood and skill development, women’s empowerment, quality education, health & sanitation, etc. improving lives of 3 lakh people hailing from local communities

· Recycling and reuse of wastewater generated at plants, resulted in 3.6 million m3 reduction in freshwater consumption over previous fiscal

· Vedanta’s Aluminium Smelter at Jharsuguda is India’s first, and the world’s third smelter to deploy Digital Smelter Solution. It uses digital twin technology, predictive and prescriptive analytics to enhance energy efficiency, reduce raw material consumption and arrest wastage of material through remote advisory system.

· 10.5 million units of renewable power was purchased by the business for consumption

· ‘Carbon Forum’ created at group level is proactively working on the company’s carbon mitigation approach.

· Partnership with Runaya LLC has resulted in 100% utilization of dross, a by-product of aluminium smelting, resulting in zero waste.

· More than 100% fly ash utilization for various purposes, including cement manufacturing, brick manufacturing and backfilling of mine void, etc.

· Rehabilitation of mined out areas of Mainpat and Bodai Daldali bauxite mines in Chhattisgarh with plantation of 2 million saplings and creation of water recharging structures

· With 12% women professionals, Vedanta Aluminium has one of the highest gender diversity ratios in the metal and mining sector in India.

· Since outbreak of COVID, Vedanta Aluminium has supported the local communities, district administrations, state governments, central government, with grocery supplies, PPEs, medical equipment, oxygen, financial contribution, and many other need-based requirements.

Aligned to Vedanta Limited’s pledge to move towards carbon neutrality, Vedanta Aluminium has directed initiatives under the three key pillars of workforce health and safety, climate change and environment management, and community and social performance for 2021 and beyond.

Vedanta Aluminium’s sustainability performance is encapsulated in the recently launched Sustainable Development Report. The report highlights Vedanta Aluminium’s performance across key sustainability parameters such as Energy Management, Water Management, Biodiversity Management, Air Quality, Health & Safety, Social Impact and Governance etc for the FY 2019-20 performance period. The Sustainable Development Report was unveiled on World Environment Day and can be accessed on the business’ website www.vedantaaluminium.com

Vedanta Aluminium Business, a division of Vedanta Limited, is India’s largest manufacturer of aluminium, producing half of India’s aluminium at 1.96 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) in FY21. It is a leader in value-added aluminium products that find critical applications in core industries. 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.

Business World

Vedanta Aluminium Announces COVID Kavach Term Insurance for Business Partner Employees

May 18, 2021 by Rekha Nair 0 Comments #Director – Occupational Health Business of Wellspring Healthcare Pvt. Ltd, #Dy. CEO – Aluminium Business, #Mr. Moin Kazi, #Mr. Rahul Sharma, #Vedanta Aluminium & Power Business

New Delhi: Vedanta Aluminium & Power Business, India’s largest producer of aluminium and value-added aluminium products, has on the occasion of International Day of Families extended the COVID Kavach Term Insurance Policy for employees of business partners across its plants in Jharsuguda and Lanjigarh in Odisha, and BALCO in Korba, Chhattisgarh. Mr. Ajay Kapur, CEO – Aluminium & Power and MD – Commercial, Vedanta Ltd., announced this to all staff on the the occasion of International Day of Families through a video message. Last year, the company had enhanced its term life insurance for all employees, which also covers any unfortunate circumstance due to COVID.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Rahul Sharma, Dy. CEO – Aluminium Business, said, “The health and wellbeing of our people is our foremost priority, and we continue to adhere to heightened safety protocols against the disease. We have put in place robust measures across all our plant sites to keep our workforce and families safe. We stand in solidarity with the entire country as we continue to battle the pandemic. We are taking several measures to secure the safety of our employees, business partners and their families against COVID and this insurance policy is a small but significant step in this direction.”

Mr. Moin Kazi, Director – Occupational Health Business of Wellspring Healthcare Pvt. Ltd., which is Vedanta’s business partner in providing COVID treatment at its Jharsuguda plant said, “As Vedanta’s healthcare partner, we have deployed required infrastructure and staff to provide proper care and treatment to anyone affected by COVID. We are constantly monitoring the collective health status in the plant and township. Our staff are working round the clock to ensure health and wellbeing of employees, families and business partners.”

Vedanta has marshalled resources across its plants and state-of-the-art townships in remote locations of Odisha and Chhattisgarh to safeguard its workforce and families. Few examples:

· 24X7 health helpline has been established in association with Apollo Hospitals.

· Over 7500 employees, families and business partners have been vaccinated free of cost till date, with plans for 100% vaccination in the shortest time span.

· Vedanta’s 550+ bedded COVID Care Centres and Quarantine Facilities in Odisha and Chhattisgarh are equipped with required infrastructure and medical personnel to care for those affected by COVID.

· COVID Task Forces are engaged in round-the-clock monitoring of the impact on the entire workforce and families of employees.

· Drones and CCTVs are being used along with regular security patrols for enhanced surveillance of social-distancing compliance at plant and townships.

· To ensure social distancing at shops selling vegetables, milk, groceries etc in the township, an online timeslot-booking portal has been developed inhouse to regulate the number of people and timings during which they can go to the shops to buy essentials.

· Mass Rapid Antigen tests are being carried out free of cost in plants and townships for early detection and treatment.

· Paid leave for all COVID affected employees during treatment and recuperation.

· All need-based support from daily essentials to medical and healthcare assistance being provided to ensure that employee well-being and recovery is prioritized.

· Telemedicine facility is being made available wherein patients can connect with the doctors through phone and video-consultation.

· All travel to and from plants and townships are currently restricted to ensure minimal external contact.

· Vedanta’s own hospitals are in a state of preparedness to cater to any medical needs of workforce.

· Business continuity is being ensured with reduced workforce and work from home is in place for all non-essential staff.

Beyond operations, Vedanta is conducting awareness drives to sensitize communities on COVID prevention and the benefits of vaccination, distributing sanitation kits and sanitizing public places in the communities and peripheral villages. The company has plans to set up two COVID field hospitals at Odisha and Chhattisgarh to aid the state governments in providing proper treatment to the affected. To ensure uninterrupted supply of oxygen to patients in Jharsuguda, Vedanta is providing oxygen cylinders to district hospitals. Recently, the company also provided 10,000 RT-PCR testing kits to the district hospital in Bhawanipatna, Odisha.

Vedanta Aluminium & Power Business, a division of Vedanta Limited, is India’s largest producer of aluminium, producing almost half of India’s Aluminium or 1.9 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) in FY20, and is also one of the largest private power producers in the country. BALCO is a part of Vedanta’s Aluminium and Power Business. Vedanta is a leader in value-added aluminium products that find critical applications in core industries. With its world-class smelters, power plants and alumina refinery spread across India, the company fulfils its mission of spurring emerging applications of aluminium as the ‘Metal of the Future’ for a greener tomorrow.

Business World

Vedanta BALCO recognizes its next generation of young leaders through its V-Reach program

Jan 26, 2021 by Neel Achary 0 Comments #BALCO, #CEO & Director, #Deputy CEO- Aluminium Business, #Mr. Abhijit Pati, #Mr. Rahul Sharma

Balconagar, Korba: Vedanta has launched a unique programme called V-Reach that identifies and grooms future leaders from amongst its employee base to foster the next generation of leaders who will propel the company into its next growth trajectory. The programme is anchored by Vedanta’s Vice-Chairman, Mr. Navin Agarwal in line with Vedanta’s strong focus on its people and their growth.

Mr. Rahul Sharma, Dy. Chief Executive Officer of Vedanta Aluminium Business on his visit to BALCO recognized and motivated BALCO’s V-Reach leaders. He congratulated the young leaders and encouraged them to lead the organisation’s transformational growth on key drivers such as safety, health, environment, business excellence, quality and innovation with their disruptive thinking and ideas. Mr. Abhijit Pati, CEO & Director, BALCO, along with several BALCO officials were present at the program.

The Vedanta Group has initiated this flagship leadership program ‘V-Reach’, as an industry-leading people practice aimed at identifying, recognizing, and elevating the top talent from the 5000+ employee population, who joined Vedanta as graduates and are the backbone of the business. This one-of-a-kind global best people practice is being well appreciated and commended by external stakeholders in the industry and business partners.

Speaking on the future opportunities being provided by Vedanta, Mr. Rahul Sharma, Deputy CEO- Aluminium Business, said “In line with Vedanta Group’s core philosophy of developing ‘Leadership from Within’, the V-Reach Programme is a great launching pad for our high potential talent, giving them opportunities for accelerated career growth. At BALCO, we have identified a strong pipeline of such future leaders. I’m confident that they will leverage their talent and skills to contribute significantly towards further strengthening our business. With our passionate new-age leaders, Vedanta will achieve significant momentum and will continue to deliver exceptionally in critical areas of operational and business excellence.”

Mr. Abhijit Pati, CEO & Director, BALCO praised the selected employees and said that the Vedanta Group believes in empowering meritorious young leaders. Mr. Pati said, “The young employees being groomed under V-Reach will have leadership opportunities with significant responsibilities in the future. We encourage them to keep up their high performance standards and continue to keep trying innovative ways of working. The Vedanta management will support, mentor and enable them every step of the way.”

Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (BALCO) is India’s iconic aluminium producer. It is owned 49% by the Government of India and 51% by Vedanta Limited. Vedanta Limited is the world’s 6th largest diversified natural resources company and the largest producer of aluminium in India. BALCO operates a 0.57 million tonne per annum (MTPA) aluminium smelter in Korba, Chhattisgarh. It is also a leader in value-added aluminium products that find critical applications in core industries. With its world-class smelter and power plants, the company fulfills its mission of spurring emerging applications of aluminium as the ‘Metal of the Future’ for a greener tomorrow.

Business World

Micromax unveils its new brand avatar – ‘in’

Oct 17, 2020 by Gouri Achary 0 Comments #‘in’, #Micromax, #Mr. Rahul Sharma

Micromax Informatics Ltd., India’s very own consumer electronics brand, today unveiled a new sub-brand- ‘in’, as it makes a comeback in the smartphone segment. The announcement comes on the heels of the PLI approvals sanctioned by the Government of India, moving a step closer to realising the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.

Mr. Rahul Sharma, Co-founder, Micromax launched the ‘in’ brand earlier today on the company’s digital handles. On the brand introduction of ‘in’, he said, “We are delighted to make a comeback in the India market with our sub-brand ‘in’. When you have the word India or ‘in’ on you, it gives you a sense of responsibility. The weight of a billion hopes. But bigger than anything is the pride it gives. Our endeavour is to bring India on the global smartphone map again with ‘in’ mobiles.

India is one the top five mobile gaming markets in the world, and with the ‘in’ brand we will provide a bona fide choice that will allow consumers to edge ahead with high performance-oriented products, without infringing on their privacy.”

The new avatar is inspired by the fun, bold and aspirational Indian millennials, who are looking for performance-oriented products for their digital journey on the go and are set to drive India’s success story. The brand colour and overall visual identity is inspired by India’s blue colours – the blue that we are recognized by. With its brand promise to bring uncompromised performance and a secure user experience, Micromax plans to holistically build and grow the smartphone ecosystem, where Indian consumers can truly benefit.

YouTube link: https://youtu.be/aRo69b1wTNg

To begin the strategic re-entry into the smartphone segment, Micromax plans to invest INR 500 crore and will build products from ground-up for the new-age Indian consumer. It will be introducing a new range of smartphones under the ‘in’ brand.

Micromax has state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities across 2 locations in India including Bhiwadi and Hyderabad. The brand has a capacity of producing over 2 million phones per month. Furthermore, the brand is working on strengthening its already established retail and distribution network. Currently, it has a retail presence of more 10K+ outlets and over 1000+ service centres across India.

Micromax has many firsts to its credit including the Longest Battery Phone, Dual SIM Phone, Qwerty Device, Gaming Device, Women’s Line of Devices, Universal Remote Control Phone, MTV Phone, Dockable Bluetooth Device and Edutainment Tablet.