Tag: Vedanta Ltd

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

Vedanta Limited, Lanjigarh
Business World

Vedanta rolls out lucrative scheme for MSMEs under ‘Saathi’programme, celebrating World MSME Week

Jun 29, 2021 by Rekha Nair 0 Comments #CEO – Aluminium & Power and MD – Commercial, #Mr. Ajay Kapur, #Vedanta Ltd, #Vedanta Saathi

New Delhi: Vedanta Limited, India’s leading producer of metals and oil & gas, has rolled out an attractive promotional scheme for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the manufacturing industry in celebration of the World MSME Week. Under the company’sVedanta Saathi programme, MSMEs can avail a discount of INR 500 per tonne on the first 500 tonnes ofpurchase in Aluminium, Zinc, Lead, Silver, Steel and Pig Iron, on first come first served basis. The scheme will be live for this week, ending on 3rdJuly, 2021.

For eligibility, MSMEs must have manufacturing operations in the metals business, with an actual manufacturing setup and must possess Udyog Aadhaar Number (UAN) and Registration Certificate. To avail the scheme and get full details, interested MSMEs can register on the Vedanta Saathi website (www.vedantasaathi.com) and send an enquiry to saathi@vedanta.co.in, following which Vedanta’s sales teams will reach out to them.

With a significant MSME customer and supplier base, Vedanta has been fostering the MSME ecosystem for over two decades through its expansive value-chain, supply-chain, and social-developmental programmes.Under Vedanta Saathi programme, the company offers various schemes, incentives, and opportunities for MSMEs, such as:

• Channel financing at attractive ratesand fast disbursement,in partnership with a host of leading banks, NBFCs and FinTech firms
• Soon to be launched e-commerce solutionsfor an agile, easy, and transparent way of buying from Vedanta’s entire bouquet of high-quality value-added products, with doorstep delivery through micro-logistics partners
• Avenues for technical upskillingwithaccess to the company’s wide community of research institutes, industry associations, in house and external global experts
• Opportunities for MSMEs to set up downstream/ancillary manufacturing units near Vedanta’s plants, with benefits like just-in-time delivery of raw material(hot metal supplies), low working capital and capex involvement
• Single window for MSMEs to interact with Vedanta’s Quality, Product Application,Engineering, and Innovation teams through a dedicated web portal

Speaking about Vedanta Saathi, Mr. Ajay Kapur, CEO – Aluminium & Power and MD – Commercial, Vedanta Ltd., said,“Postpandemic, we have been seeing significant restructuring in the global supply chain, as companies look to diversify their supply and service networks. This offers our MSMEs a huge opportunity to tap into the new markets with access to new-age technologies, opportunities to upskill, and quality raw materials. Besides getting integrated into these global supply chains, it will also improve MSME’s share of contribution to GDP which stands at only 7% now. Under Vedanta Saathi we have developed various initiatives that can help MSMEs accelerate this growth journey.”

Till date, more than 150 MSMEscustomers have availed channel financing to access a credit limit of ~INR 1000 Cr by leading banks and NBFCs. Vedanta is committed to grow this limit by 5x for MSME customers, adding more banks and NBFCs to its fold.

The company’s upcoming e-commerce offerings shall offer significant advantages for MSMEs like live pricing options, direct buy access to a diverse product portfolio with no bar on quantity, as well as easy delivery tracking and micro-logistics.

Vedanta also offers a ready community of industry associations, technical experts, and research institutes for collaboration with MSMEs to engineer new products, product applications and new markets for those applications, helping upskill MSMEs to match global standards. The company has dedicated teams to cater to customers’ requirements in quality, product application and engineering.

With the aim to bolster India’s vision of becoming a global manufacturing hub, Vedanta also offersopportunities for MSMEs to set up their ancillaries and downstream manufacturing facilities near its plants. Besides immensely benefiting MSMEs in terms of just-in-time access to raw materials, low working capital and capex involvement, and proximity to Vedanta’s Quality teams and expert network, it will also aid in significant employment generation locally and bring about a positive transformation in the quality of life of local communities.

7500+ people vaccinated by Vedanta at its plants in Odisha and Chhattisgarh
Business World, Health, News

7500+ people vaccinated by Vedanta at its plants in Odisha and Chhattisgarh

May 6, 2021 by Rekha Nair 0 Comments #and Divisional Forest Officer, #CEO – Aluminium & Power and MD – Commercial, #COVID Care Centres, #Kalahandi, #Mr. Ajay Kapur, #Nodal Officer (COVID Operations), #Shri. T Ashok Kumar, #Southern Division, #Vedanta Aluminium & Power Business, #Vedanta Ltd

New Delhi: Vedanta Aluminium & Power Business, India’s largest producer of aluminium and value-added aluminium products, has accelerated the COVID vaccination initiative and vaccinated over 7500 of its people across its plants. Further, it has swiftly augmented the capacity of its COVID Care Centres and quarantine centres across its plant sites in remote areas of Odisha and Chhattisgarh to effectively handle the pandemic scenario around its areas of operations. With over 550 beds, Vedanta’s COVID Care Centres at Jharsuguda and Lanjigarh in Odisha, and BALCO in Korba, Chhattisgarh, are equipped with required infrastructure and medical personnel to provide proper care to those affected by COVID. Additionally, Quarantine Centres have been created for isolation and post-treatment recovery.

Vedanta is supporting the District COVID Hospital at Jharsuguda in treating the affected populace from the region. At the District COVID Hospital in Bhawanipatna at Kalahandi district, Odisha, the company is working to set up an oxygen generation facility. It has recently provided 10,000 RT PCR testing kits to the District Government Hospital at Bhawanipatna. Vedanta is also aiding local administrations in carrying out vaccination drives in the periphery. Its own hospitals are also in a state of preparedness to assist the respective district administrations in the fight against COVID. The company has plans to further augment COVID management efforts by both state governments and develop state-of-the-art field hospitals with all medical infrastructure specifically required for COVID treatment as needed.

To aid the ongoing efforts to manage the second wave of the pandemic, Vedanta Chairman, Mr. Anil Agarwal has pledged INR 150 Cr. Last year, Vedanta had contributed INR 201 Cr to the fight against COVID-19 in the form of contribution to the PM-CARES Fund, supporting livelihood of the daily wage workers across the nation, and giving preventive health care and support to all employees and business partners across its plant locations.

Mr. Ajay Kapur, CEO – Aluminium & Power and MD – Commercial, Vedanta Ltd., said, “As the entire country battles to overcome the pandemic, we are committed to supporting our people, partners, communities and government through this critical period. While ensuring continuity of our aluminium and power operations so as to fulfil the raw material needs of this strategic metal for the country, we are also intensively monitoring the COVID scenario at and around our plant sites. With all safeguards in place to prevent further spread of the disease at our plant and township, our healthcare staff is working round the clock to ensure proper care for anyone who has been affected. We are also working closely with respective district administrations, helping them keep our communities safe.”

Appreciating the company’s efforts, Shri. T Ashok Kumar, Nodal Officer (COVID Operations), and Divisional Forest Officer, Southern Division, Kalahandi, said, “Vedanta has come forward with all required support in the prevention of COVID-19, since the outbreak of the pandemic, in supporting the district health authorities. The spread of the disease can be contained with large-scale testing and timely isolation and treatment of the COVID positive patients. The provision of the RT PCR testing kits by Vedanta will facilitate the testing process for the general public in the district. This is reflective of the sense of responsibility and commitment Vedanta has towards its communities.”

The Office of the District Magistrate of Kalahandi, Odisha, also tweeted in appreciation of the joint endeavour by Vedanta Aluminium and Department of Health & Family Welfare, Govt. of Odisha, for providing RT PCR kits and other medical equipment to the fight against COVID.

To protect the workforce against the disease and provide care to the affected, the company has marshalled its resources across its plant locations to deploy various measures such as:

  • The company is conducting awareness drives to sensitize communities on COVID prevention and the benefits of vaccination, distributing sanitation kits, and conducting sanitization of public places in the communities and peripheral villages.
  • COVID Task Forces have been created for round-the-clock monitoring of the impact on the entire workforce and families of employees.
  • More than 7500 employees, families and business partners have been vaccinated till date, with plans for 100% vaccination of all eligible.
  • Business continuity plans with reduced workforce and minimum resources are in place.
  • All travel to and from plants and townships are currently restricted, with mandatory RT PCR negative report and isolation for anyone travelling due to personal exigencies.
  • Mass Rapid Antigen tests are being carried out in plants and townships.
    Sanitation and disinfection drives have been intensified in the plants.
  • Vedanta Hospital at Lanjigarh was the first Private COVID Vaccination Centre (PCVC) in Kalahandi to conduct vaccination drives.
  • Telemedicine Facility is being made available wherein patients can connect with the doctors through phone calls or WhatsApp voice calls to get consultation and e-prescription.

Last year, Vedanta Aluminium & Power Business Units had rolled out a slew of community outreach programmes benefitting over 10 lakh people in underserved regions of Odisha and Chhattisgarh. Nearly 1 lakh Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) worth INR 10 crores were provided to the Government of Odisha. More than 11,000 workers were provided meals along with other essentials across its plants, and up to a month’s supply of rations was distributed to over 5,000 daily wage earners, slum dwellers and marginal households around its operations. Vedanta’s Mobile Health Units worked with anganwadis staff to conduct intensive awareness campaigns across 120 villages. More than 2.5 lakh reusable masks were distributed to rural residents, district administration, police, media, and other frontline workers. Additionally, thousands of Vedanta employees and business partners had voluntarily contributed one day’s salary towards COVID relief.

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.–

COO-Metal, Mr. GG Pal accepting the award on behalf of the Vedanta team
Business World

Vedanta Jharsuguda wins the ‘Best Exporter’ Award by Govt. of Odisha

Feb 6, 2021 by Neel Achary 0 Comments #CEO – Vedanta Ltd., #Chief Minister of Odisha, #Chief Operating Officer – Metal, #COO – Metal, #Jharsuguda, #Mr. CN Singh, #Mr. GG Pal, #Shri. Naveen Patnaik. Mr. GG Pal, #Vedanta Ltd

Bhubaneswar, Odisha: Vedanta Jharsuguda, India’s largest producer of aluminium and value-added products, has won ‘Best Exporter’ Award for the years 2017-18 & 2018-19 at the Odisha State Export Award. Organized by the Directorate of Export Promotion & Marketing (DEPM), Odisha, the awards were presented to the company in a virtual ceremony chaired by the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Odisha, Shri. Naveen Patnaik. Mr. GG Pal, Chief Operating Officer – Metal, received the awards on behalf of the company.

Vedanta’s Jharsuguda plant was awarded for being the largest exporter from the state of Odisha consecutively for two years, 2017-18 and 2018-19.

Vedanta’s aluminium smelters at Jharsuguda produce an array of top-of-the-line products such as Ingots, Billets, Wire Rods, Primary Foundry Alloy (PFA), Slab, and others, for domestic and global markets. Manufactured using state-of-the-art technology, these products are acclaimed globally for their quality and performance standards and cater to critical industries like aerospace, automotive, construction, electrification, transportation and others. The company has a strong overseas clientele and is a leading exporter of aluminium and value-added aluminium products from the country.

Glimpse from the Best Exporter Award ceremonial function Vedanta Jharsuguda wins the ‘Best Exporter’ Award by Govt. of Odisha

Speaking about the awards, Mr. CN Singh, CEO – Vedanta Ltd., Jharsuguda, said, “I thank Shri. Naveen Patnaik, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Odisha, and the Directorate of Export Promotion & Marketing for awarding us with the coveted ‘Best Exporter’ awards. Vedanta’s Aluminium Business has been a long-time partner in the state’s socio-economic progress, with significant contribution towards GDP, employment and quality of life. Our Jharsuguda smelters single-handedly produce more than one-third of India’s aluminium, strengthening the state government’s endeavours to ‘Make in Odisha’ for the country and the world. These awards will bolster our commitment to emerge as the world’s best and most sustainable producer of aluminium, transforming natural resources into tools of economic prosperity and fulfilling the needs of the country.”

Receiving the awards on behalf of the company, Mr. GG Pal, COO – Metal, Vedanta Ltd., Jharsuguda added, “It was my honour to accept the Best Exporter’s Award. At Vedanta, our efforts are dedicated towards fulfilling the state’s vision of becoming India’s most preferred destination for business.”

Vedanta is India’s largest producer of the green metal, aluminium, operating a world-class 1.6 MTPA aluminium smelter and 3615 MW thermal power generation facility in Jharsuguda, Odisha. The only Indian smelter in the global ‘1 Million Tonne’ production and export club, Vedanta Jharsuguda is a leader in value-added aluminium products that find critical applications across core industries. With one of the largest technically qualified and diverse workforces in the country, the company is working towards a sustainable and greener future for all by spurring emerging applications of aluminium, the ‘Metal of the Future’.

Rahul Sharma, President – Aluminium Association of India and Deputy CEO – Aluminium Business, Vedanta Ltd
Business World

Budget Impetus: Nurture and Grow the Metals Sector for making India an Alternative Global Manufacturing Destination

Jan 28, 2021 by Neel Achary 0 Comments #President – Aluminium Association of India and Deputy CEO – Aluminium Business, #Rahul Sharma, #Vedanta Ltd

By Rahul Sharma, President – Aluminium Association of India and Deputy CEO – Aluminium Business, Vedanta Ltd.

“With an urgent need to put the Indian economy on a growth track in 2021 and undo the aftereffects of the pandemic expectations from the upcoming Union Budget are quite high. Recent fiscal measures taken by the Government have been highly praiseworthy.  It is now even more important to ensure that specific measures are announced in the upcoming budget which pull the metals sector out of an ongoing challenging phase. 2021 will see global supply chains getting reworked providing India a great opportunity to become a global leader in non-ferrous metals like Aluminium, Copper and Zinc. The metals sector is also fundamental to the revival of the Indian manufacturing ecosystem, realization of the dream of an Aatma Nirbhar Bharat and positioning India as an alternative global manufacturing destination.”

“The correction of inverted duty structure with reduction of import duties on critical raw materials of the Aluminium value chain in the upcoming union budget will go a long way in made in India aluminium bridging the competitive gap it faces with respect to other major global Aluminium producers. With Aluminium production costs in India amongst one of the highest in the world, immediate support pertaining to the rationalization of power cost by reducing high cess on coal to support power-intensive industries like aluminium is recommended. Lastly, removal of the long-overdue anomaly in differential import duties on primary aluminium and aluminium scrap will help arrest the flooding imports majorly from China, ASEAN and the US”.

Mr. Ajay Kapur, CEO – Aluminium & Power and MD – Commercial, Vedanta Ltd.
Business World

Vedanta Aluminium scripts a double win at the National Energy Conservation Awards 2020

Jan 15, 2021 by Neel Achary 0 Comments #CEO – Aluminium & Power and MD – Commercial, #Mr. Ajay Kapur, #Vedanta Ltd

New Delhi: Vedanta Aluminium, India’s largest producer of Aluminium and value-added products, won two first prizes at the prestigious National Energy Conservation Awards 2020 (NECA 2020), for exemplary efforts in energy conservation through best-in-class practices, technology adoption and innovative solutions. Instituted by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), Government of India, the NECA Awards witnesses participation by the best in business from across various critical industry sectors.

In a virtual award ceremony held on 11th January 2021, Vedanta Ltd’s Jharsuguda (Odisha) Smelter-I bagged ‘First Prize’ in Aluminium (Large) Sector while Vedanta Ltd., Lanjigarh (Odisha), was conferred with the ‘First Prize’ in Aluminium (Small) Sector. Both units have rolled out nearly 80 impactful initiatives over the past three years to scale-up energy efficiency at respective locations.

Speaking about the awards, Mr. Ajay Kapur, CEO – Aluminium & Power and MD – Commercial, Vedanta Ltd., said, “At Vedanta, we are cognizant of our responsibilities towards ensuring a responsible and sustainable business footprint as we rapidly adapt to an energy-conscious world. We regularly benchmark our energy consumption with the industry’s best and strive towards improving our specific energy consumption. Towards this, we not only improve our process energy efficiencies but also evaluate and incorporate new technologies that have the potential to provide a step change improvement in energy efficiencies. Winning the coveted National Energy Conservation Awards has bolstered our commitment to emerge as the world’s best, lowest cost, most energy efficient and sustainable aluminium producer.”

Vedanta Aluminium & Power’s business units have always been forerunners in the field of energy efficiency and sustainability. Some notable initiatives and major highlights are:

  • Vedanta’s aluminium smelter at Jharsuguda is India’s first, and the world’s third smelter to deploy Digital Smelter Solution, using digital twin technology, predictive and prescriptive analytics to enhance energy efficiency, reduce raw material consumption and arrest wastage of material through remote advisory system.
  • 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), the iconic subsidiary of Vedanta Limited, achieved the lowest specific power consumption in potlines in 2020, setting a benchmark in India.
  • Reduction in indirect energy consumption by 8 million Giga Joules between FY19 and FY20 for the business.
  • Vedanta’s operations have a SCADA-based energy monitoring system wherein energy meters are connected to one server and reports are generated automatically. Portable flow meter and power meters have been installed to analyse load deviations.
  • 100% graphitized cathode installation in Jharsuguda’s potline resultedin energy conservation of over 49000 MWh per annum.
  • Initiatives to enhance operational excellence have resulted in reduction of thermal and electrical specific energy by 20% and 24% respectively, and overall specific energy consumption by 22% over the last five years at the Lanjigarh alumina refinery.
  • All business units have adopted Business Excellence models such as Six Sigma, Quality Circles, Kaizen, etc. to carry out energy conservation projects.
  • The business is actively exploring renewable energy sources like solar power, biomass and biogas to potentially reduce dependence on thermal power as the primary source of energy. In FY 20, more than 115 million units of renewable power was purchased by the business for consumption.
  • Against Vedanta’s commitment to reduce the GHG intensity by 16% by 2020 from a 2012 baseline, on completion of the year 2019-20, the Aluminium Business was able to reduce its GHG intensity by 20%.
  • Vedanta’s ‘Carbon Forum’, comprising representatives from each of our businesses, is actively working on the implementationof the company’s carbon mitigation approach.

Vedanta Aluminium & Power, a part 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. It is a leader in value-added aluminium products that find critical applications in core industries. With its world-class smelters, alumina refinery and power plants spread across India, the company fulfills its mission of spurring emerging applications of aluminium as the ‘Metal of the Future’ for a greener tomorrow.

Mr. Ajay Kapur, CEO – Aluminium & Power Business, Vedanta Ltd.,
Business World

Vedanta Aluminium wins ‘Most Innovative Best Practice’ Award for Digital Smelter Project

Jan 10, 2021 by Neel Achary 0 Comments #CEO – Aluminium & Power Business, #Mr. Ajay Kapur, #Vedanta Ltd

New Delhi: Vedanta, India’s largest producer of Aluminium and value-added products, bagged the ‘Most Innovative Best Practice’ Award at the Digital Transformation (DX) Summit & Awards 2020. Organized by CII – Centre for Digital Transformation (CDT), the DX Award provides a prestigious platform for the industry’s best to showcase superlative efforts and achievements in the realm of digital transformation, offering unparalleled exposure and valuable recognition to the practitioners. Vedanta Aluminium has bagged this coveted award in the ‘Most Innovative Best Practice’ category, as India’s first – and the world’s third – smelter to deploy the Digital Smelter Technology at its Jharsuguda plant, which is the world’s largest single-location aluminium smelter.

Themed on leveraging digital infrastructure & technological innovation for a resurgent and Aatmanirbhar Bharat, the DX summit witnessed participation from over 300 companies. Vedanta Aluminium outshone the competition by showcasing its Digital Smelter project which is being deployed at its Aluminium smelter in Jharsuguda, Odisha. It uses digital twin technology with predictive & prescriptive analytics, which allows for remote monitoring and control of potline operations, enhances energy efficiency, reduces raw material consumption, and arrests wastage of material through the remote advisory system.

It processes historical information and real-time data using data analytics to generate alerts and insights which enable the operation and maintenance teams to execute their duties more effectively and efficiently. It also uses machine learning algorithms to provide multiple outcomes such as pot health-related alerts, virtual-sensor based dosing recommendations, anode-effect predictions, etc. Deep Learning algorithms and various advanced model techniques, which are an industry-first allow Advanced Asset Performance Management at both smelters and power plants.

Speaking about the company’s digital transformation endeavours, Mr. Ajay Kapur, CEO – Aluminium & Power Business, Vedanta Ltd., said, “We strive to make our operations future-ready by integrating best-in-class digital solutions, building inefficiencies, and optimizing costs and raw material consumption in our quest to become the world’s leading producer of the ‘green metal’ or Aluminium. Vedanta’s Aluminum & Power business has implemented intelligent automation and digitalization at its the plants to produce high-quality Aluminium and value-added products for critical industry sectors, fueling India’s self-reliance and contributing to its socio-economic prosperity.”

Few more cutting-edge technology integrations by Vedanta across its Aluminium & power assets:

The company has built end-to-end digital Logistics Control Towers for coal, alumina and bauxite with Machine Learning and OR (Operations Research) based mathematical modelling that have enabled Vedanta to do simulation based planning, reduce costs and pilferages and improve efficiencies, impacting toplines and enabling paperless operations.

Vedanta is in the process of deploying advanced data analytics technologies in its power plants by incorporating digital twins for both predictive and prescriptive analytics to enhance power plant availability, asset and process reliability for reduction of operational cost, improvement of operation sustainability and reduction of safety risks with minimal or zero human touch.

Vedanta has already embarked upon the journey of using vision analytics and contextual analytics in multiple plant sites like identification of hot spots for improving asset reliability.

Implementation of high-end Manufacturing Execution System (MES) across all the Aluminium plants ensures visibility of all critical plant operations and allows for decision making remotely through mobile applications, ensuring seamless sustainability of operations while employees can maintain social distancing and yet fulfil their activities on the plant floor.
Vedanta’s Aluminium & Power business is the first metal & mining company in India to implement the full scope of S4HANA thus automating all functional processes.
The complex and diverse procurement of commodities, materials and services are fully automated and backed with analytics thus unlocking substantial cost reduction, faster O2C cycle and business realisations.

  • Safety of workforce is at the core of any sustainable business and Vedanta is testing various digital solutions in the Health, Safety, and Environment space, such as the use of technology-based tracking to monitor the health of assets or even fluctuations in productivity for immediate action.
  • Robotics Process Automation (RPA) is being tested in commercial, finance, and supply chain functions and is optimising repetitive activities.

Even within plants, all operational parameters are monitored virtually while ensuring there is minimum physical proximity. GPS, RFID sensors, Operations Reasearch (OR) based schedule modelling at each operational point capture critical operational parameters within the plant.

Vedanta Aluminium, a part 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. It 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.

Education

Vedanta Group companies come forward to ensure uninterrupted learning for children  

Jan 7, 2021 by Rekha Nair 0 Comments #Chief Executive Officer, #District Collector, #Education Minister, #Govind Singh Dotasra, #IAS, #Mr. Anshdeep, #Pali, #Rajasthan, #Sunil Duggal, #Vedanta Ltd

The COVID-19 pandemic has humanity facing one of the toughest crises in recent history. Countrywide lockdown confined children to limited spaces and locations. To keep children engaged and sustain hope in their hearts, Vedanta Group companies, Cairn Oil & Gas and Hindustan Zinc Limited (HZL), have come forward and initiated several programs in the field of education and learning. Through their initiatives in Rajasthan, both the companies are encouraging kids to become leaders of change and continue their journey of learning amidst the crisis, inspiring the world to live each day to the fullest.

Sunil Duggal, Chief Executive Officer, Vedanta Ltd., said, “Vedanta is committed to transforming the lives of children at the grassroots level, and providing them quality education, especially during these challenging times, is an important part of this vision. Cairn Oil & Gas and Hindustan Zinc have taken up innovative and technology-backed initiatives to ensure that students adapt to new ways of learning and children are not made to suffer.”

Some of the flagship projects under the aegis of Vedanta Group companies are:

  1. Project e-Kaksha – a unique digital education initiative for rural children studying in Rajasthan by Cairn Oil & Gas

E-Kaksha is aimed at imparting education through digital platforms to the students of class 6th to 12th in partnership with Department of Education, Government of Rajasthan for all subjects with special attention on key subjects like Maths, Physics Chemistry, Biology, English, etc. Under this project, over 300+ videos have been developed so far, as the initiative aims to benefit more than 1.7 crore students in over 65,000+ government schools across 33 districts in the state. The e-content will be delivered through government’s digital mediums like Shiksha Vani, Shiksha Darshan (Doordarshan Rajasthan), Smile Program as well as ICT lab and smart classrooms in every government schools along with official YouTube channel of RBSE e-kaksha. Ujjwal project, which was focused on providing remedial and bridge classes to weaker and out of school students in 20 government schools in Barmer, Rajasthan, has continued to provide education at their hamlets and clusters post lockdown.

Speaking about the project, Govind Singh Dotasra, Education Minister, Rajasthan said, “The closure of government schools due to the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted children’s education. Rajasthan government has, under the leadership of Ashok Gehlot, CM, Rajasthan, strived to make education accessible to the children of Rajasthan. It delights me to announce that the leaders at our education department have worked enthusiastically to provide education to children stuck at home at such difficult times and signed MoU with Vedanta & Mission Gyan.” Mr. Anshdeep, IAS, District Collector, Pali, appreciated the e-Kaksha project.

  1. Ghar Baithe Gyan Ganga – Education Project by Cairn Oil & Gas

Launched in Gujarat to improve the quality of education in schools, this project set-up smart classes and introduced innovative teaching methods for experiential learning. So far, the education project has catered to 1700+ children by providing them quality education and learning.

  1. Shiksha Sambal by HZL

The Shiksha Sambal project is aimed at quality teaching of the key subjects like Science, Maths and English (SEM). The project places additional teachers into schools and builds a strong conceptual foundation among students using innovative learning techniques & activities such as group learning, worksheets, learning camps, science fairs, etc. The project has benefitted 64 government schools and more than 7,300 students of class 9th to 12th. During this pandemic, the project team connected with students through online platforms and home visits to keep the learning going. 

  1. Mindpsark by HZL

Mindspark Learning Lab is a personalised adaptive learning program which provides customized and adaptive cloud-based learning solution to strengthen language and Mathematics learning for classes 1 to 8. Currently, the program is reaching out to 38 government schools benefiting more than 6000 students.

  1. Unchi Udaan by HZL

Hindustan Zinc’s ‘Unchi Udaan’, an educational Excellence initiative is built on the foundation of Shiksha Sambal and aims to identify young meritorious students from Govt. schools in communities around the company’s operational areas and mentoring them to enter engineering institutions of national repute. Each year, the company selects 25-30 students from rural areas of its operational districts, through rigorous selection process conducted across 6 districts – Udaipur, Bhilwara, Chittorgarh, Rajsamand & Ajmer from Rajasthan and Pantnagar from Uttarakhand and provide free coaching to appear and get through the IITs and other prestigious Engineering Colleges. The project provides residential schooling and coaching support to select group of students. The project is being implemented by Vidya Bhawan & Resonance Edu ventures. At present four batches from class 9 till 12 are running in Unchi Udaan program & the project is benefitting 134 students.

Mr. Navin
Business World

Vedanta Lanjigarh poised to make a mark in the history of aluminium production: Mr. Navin Agarwal

Aug 31, 2020 by Gouri Achary 0 Comments #CEO-Alumina Business, #Mr. Navin Agarwal, #Mr. Rahul Sharma, #Vedanta Ltd

Mr. Navin Agarwal, Executive Vice Chairman, Vedanta Limited reaffirmed Vedanta’s commitment to an Atma Nirbhar Bharat as he addressed employees at Vedanta’s alumina refinery in Lanjigarh today, through a virtual town hall meeting. The event saw participation by employees, business partners and the entire leadership team of the refinery. Present on the occasion were Mr. Rahul Sharma – CEO Alumina business and Mr. Rakesh Mohan, COO – Vedanta Limited, Lanjigarh along with other members.

Mr Navin Agarwal, Executive Vice Chairman, Vedanta Ltd said, “I commend the technological excellence the alumina refinery has unlocked. This plant is poised to make a mark in the history of aluminium production in the world. The refinery will continue to support ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat’ by producing high quality raw material for aluminium production – a vital raw material for the country – through digitalization, focus on quality, skill enhancement and asset optimization.”

Speaking at the virtual townhall meeting through video conference, Mr. Navin Agarwal remarked that he was keen to visit the plant again this year, but the global pandemic made travel difficult. He was delighted, however, to take a virtual walkthrough of the plant today. He said that the refinery should continue to be quick to adopt emerging technologies and global best practices.

During the meeting, Mr. Agarwal interacted with the employees and business partners at Lanjigarh and answered their queries on various matters, including his own success mantras. In his inspirational speech, he urged the participants to work towards achieving goals through operational and management excellence while keeping safety as the focus of the operations.

Addressing the group, Mr. Agarwal acknowledged that the organization has achieved many milestones in terms of production, productivity and sustainability, following the principles of trust, care, integrity, respect, excellence and innovation. He also emphasized having a collaborative model of working with business partners to achieve inclusive growth. He said that Vedanta focuses on creating an ecosystem that benefits the country, employees, society and stakeholders at large.

Mr. Agarwal also praised the steps taken by Vedanta Lanjigarh during the COVID-19 outbreak. He appreciated the solidarity shown by the members of the unit in preventing the spread of the epidemic and ensuring business continuity while adhering to all precautions. He said that Vedanta Lanjigarh has taken swift steps to protect our people and all the community members and associates from the pandemic. The team has demonstrated remarkable resilience and courage during this period. He lauded the quick set up of COVID Care Centre, testing facilities and online dashboard ‘COVID Marshal’, an artificial intelligence-based tool for compliance with COVID guidelines. He also appreciated the COVID warriors of the unit for their relentless service.

On this occasion, Mr. Rahul Sharma, CEO-Alumina Business, Vedanta Ltd. said, “We are proud to be a part of the group’s vision to contribute towards the country’s self-reliance by producing high-quality raw material for aluminium production, a strategic metal for the nation. The Vedanta Lanjigarh team is re-energized to set global benchmarks in industrial excellence while remaining committed to fostering inclusive growth with our business partners and communities.”

The engagement with Mr. Navin Agarwal saw all employees and business partners thoroughly inspired.