MUMBAI: Recognizing its efforts and outstanding contribution towards betterment of the society through women empowerment and livelihood generation programs, Aditya Aluminium Lapanga Sambalpur, a unit of Hindalco Industries Limited has been honored with India CSR Community Initiative Award (India CSR Award) at mega India CSR Leadership Summit recently held at Mumbai on May 26, 2017 organized by India CSR Group.

On behalf of Aditya Birla Group Dr. Pragnya Ram, Group Executive President, Corporate Communications & CSR, Aditya Birla Group; Bipul Chatterjee, Senior Vice President CSR, Hindalco Industries Ltd.; Manoranjan Behera, Asst. Manager CSR, Aditya Aluminium-Lapanga Sambalpur and Ms. Lopamudra Mishra, Manager PR & CSR, Aditya Aluminium Lapanga Sambalpur received this honour.

Aditya Aluminium is committed for its social services to human kind. It has been operating across many geographical locations and having demographically different. Aditya Aluminium being set in rural base of Sambalpur District of Odisha and very near to world’s largest mud dam Hirakud, operates in 23 villages of 6 Gram Panchayats of Rengali block.

Sustainable socio-economic status of the communities through various parameters was an opportunity in providing apt business projects catalyzing the various needs and potential of the people. The inhabitants in the area are ST, SC and backward section of the society. Major portion of the women community in the area have adopted to Bidi making as their main job after house hold activity which is an year old practice for them yet fetching as minimum as Rs 1000 per person per month. They do Bidi making and Broom making due to the plenty availability of Tendu Patta (raw material for Bidi) and water scarcity hits the area for near about six months a year and agriculture activity remains to one crop only. Therefore women are forcefully or voluntarily adopted it. Women don’t like to come out and do any kind of business other than these two options. Women empowerment and income generation activity through Self Help Group (SHG) was challenge for Aditya Aluminium in the area.

Aditya Aluminium’s major effort through Project Kshyamta was to promote income generation activity. To achieve this goal Aditya CSR formed SHGs. Then the need based programs like empowering women and capacity building and skill development training, agricultural farm and non-farm based activity was promoted with great care in the year 2015-16. Near about 51 women SHGs comprising of 5875 families have been actively joined hands with us, who continuously developed plans and methodologies for their structured implementation of activities like poultry, phenyl, fish cultivation, tailoring, mixture making, mushroom, vegetable cultivation, etc took place.

It is a case of sure success for other SHGs to learn about team work by the SHGs. This shows the ability with agility for creating exemplary cases on women empowerment. They have shown growth in their business, rise in individual income have made them invest more in studies of their children. They are now holding 25-30% of the rural haats wih their business. They even supply all the products to Aditya for Canteen and Shopping complex. Apart from that they are now strictly looking after Health, Education, Livelihood and Social Issues. They even work on Gram Swachhata Abhijaan by cleaning village premises regularly. Women nw feel empowered by adhering Govt.schemes in coordination with Block office.

Key Outcomes of Project Kshyamta

Income generation and need based skill up-gradation training of SHGs saved small amount of money regularly
Met their emergency needs though income and empowerment
Understood the scope for govt. coordination and collaboration
SHGs and their linkages with govt. and banks enhanced leadership qualities became successful socially, economically, health and politically.
Empowered village people through institutions and local bodies
Productivity enhanced through improved seed use and diversification and trained through exposure visit to nearby Krishi Vigyan Kendras.
Water management and sustainable irrigation system for vegetable farming.
Use of nonconventional energy resources for reducing the burden of expenditure in fuel wood and electricity

About India CSR Leadership Summit & Awards

Prestigious and one of the largest CSR forum for the year 2017, the India CSR Leadership Summit & Awards was recently organized at Mumbai on May 26, 2017. The day long forum witnessed politician, social reformers, corporate leaders, CSR think tanks, academia and professionals of allied fields of CSR and social development. India CSR Awards is one of the prestigious recognitions that honours the outstanding and innovative CSR, Sustainability and Social enterprise projects and recognises leadership in CSR. The platform recognises individuals, organisations, corporates and projects that have made phenomenal impact to the society.

Ramdas Athawale, Hon’ble Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Govt. of India graced the forum as Chief Guest and delivered the keynote address. Bhiku Ramji Idate, Hon’ble Chairman, National Commission for Denotified, Nomadic & Semi-Nomadic Tribes, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Govt. of India graced the valedictory session as Guest of Honour and addressed the large audience. A recipient of India CSR Lifetime Achievement Award – Akbar Khan, Veteran Actor, Writer, Director, Producer; Chairman & Managing Director of Abraiz Petrochemicals Pvt. Ltd. graced the forum as Guest of Honour.

Also Read: India CSR Awards presented to social & CSR leaders and leading corporate for CSR excellence