“Niyamgiri Vedanta Nagar”: the Model R&R Colony in Odisha

Press Release: Vedanta Aluminium Ltd
Nov 9, 2009

 

R & R Colony at Lanjigarh

“I have been to several industrial zones of Orissa, but after visiting this Niyamgiri Vedanta Nagar I must say that it is the Model R&R colony in the entire state which Vedanta Aluminium has set up here at Lanjigarh” remarked Mr Steve Watson, from North America who is making a study of the best R&R practice of the leading corporates throughout the world. Similar is the remark of his fellow mate Mr Sooki from China who is also working in SEPCO the organization who has been engaged in taking up the civil construction of VAL. Of late, the influx of the foreigners and other visitors to the Niyamgiri Vedanta Nagar, the R&R Colony at Lanjigarh with each passing day clearly shows that it has become a point of attraction for the foreigners as well as visitors. The same opinion also came up in the recently held conference organized by the Orissa chapter of the Confederation of the Indian Industry on Rehabilitation and Resettlement issues in Orissa. Going by the facts presented there, factors like the quality of housing, amenities in the resettlement colony, providing jobs, etc. have received almost similar treatment from the participants who are setting up plants in Orissa.

But the efforts of Vedanta at Lanjigarh stood out for going beyond the beaten track in its search to find a better solution to the vexed issue. One example is the preservation of the socio-cultural fabric by ensuring that the settlers in the rehab colony have the same neighbors they had in the villages before relocation. The location of the house of a person in a village is a major indicator of the status and position of that person and this move ensured a less traumatic translocation. While opportunities were made available to those who wished to break away from the traditional activity and take up new skills those who wished to continue in the comfort zone of carrying out their traditional vocation also were given all support and inputs.

There has been significant increase in economic status of people in the Rehabilitation Colony, known as Niyamgiri Vedanta Nagar. Out of the 118 families displaced in the Lanjigarh Refinery project about 72 are working with the company, after skill up training. Average household income in the colony is more that Rs. 10,000, which is much higher than their previous income average. About 75% of them own two-wheelers. Previously there were only 3-4 two wheelers in the locality. Four families own four-wheelers. Similarly, about 50 Families have DTH connections.

Sources attribute this achievement in Lanjigarh to the keen interest of the top management. All R& R activities are monitored directly by the Chairman of the group himself on a regular basis and the head of the project Mukesh Kumar directly supervises the daily implementation of the plans. Observers maintain that this qualitative superiority of the effort perhaps is the reason behind the projects of Vedanta recording good progress in the state and the project at Lanjigarh progressing rather peacefully compared to others.

About the Company:
Vedanta Aluminium Limited is a subsidiary of Vedanta Resources Plc, a London Stock Exchange listed, FTSE 100 Global Metals & Mining Group, having interests in aluminium, copper, zinc, lead and recently, iron & steel. The group has operations in India, Australia, and Zambia.

Vedanta Aluminium Limited (VAL) has set up a Greenfield Alumina Refinery in Orissa with a capacity of 1 Million tons per annum. It is also setting up a 0.5 MTPA Aluminum Smelter, 1215 MW Captive Power Plant. The Group Company Sterlite Energy Limted is also setting up a 2400 MW Independent Power Plants at Jharsuguda. VAL is one of the world’s premier alumina refining complex in terms of its technology, human resources and high quality infrastructure. VAL has built a high caliber team who are passionately contributing to the growth and efficiency of the organization.


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