Vedanta Aluminium’s VeDakshata Skill Training Centre empowers rural youth with job placements

THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

BHUBANESWAR, SEPTEMBER 4, 2025

Vedanta Aluminium, India’s largest aluminium producer, is driving socio-economic transformation through its flagship initiative, the VeDakshata Skill Training Centre at Bileimunda village in Sundargarh district. To date, 87 rural youth trained under this programme have secured employment with reputed organizations across the country, underscoring Vedanta’s commitment to equipping local communities with industry-ready skills and fostering sustainable livelihoods.

Launched in December 2024, VeDakshata is implemented in partnership with LearnNet Skills Limited, a joint venture of SchoolNet India Limited and the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC). The centre currently provides free training in three trades – sewing machine operation, electrical maintenance, and food and beverage service. Over the next three years, Vedanta Aluminium aims to train more than 700 rural youth from communities near its coal mining projects in Ghogharpalli, Jamkhani, and Kuraloi in Odisha.

So far, the programme has enabled the successful placement of 36 Assistant Electricians, 31 Sewing Machine Operators, and 20 Food & Beverage Service Stewards. These jobs are not only integrating young men and women into the socio-economic mainstream but are also significantly boosting household incomes and improving quality of life in their communities.

Commenting on the initiative, Rajiv Kumar, CEO of Vedanta Aluminium, said: “Empowering youth through skill development is key to unlocking the potential of our communities and driving inclusive growth. Through VeDakshata, we are equipping young individuals in rural Odisha with practical skills and connecting them to meaningful employment opportunities. The successful placements reflect the growing impact of this initiative in bridging the gap between education and livelihood, while building confident, self-reliant individuals who can shape their own futures.”

The initiative is strategically aligned with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically SDG 1 – No Poverty and SDG 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth. It also resonates with the national vision of Viksit Bharat, strengthening rural employability and fostering entrepreneurship.

Beyond skill development, Vedanta Aluminium continues to empower local communities through its focus on education, healthcare, sustainable livelihoods, infrastructure development, and grassroots promotion of sports and culture. These interventions highlight the company’s commitment to holistic socio-economic progress in Odisha and beyond, achieved in close collaboration with local authorities and community stakeholders.

Vedanta Aluminium, a business of Vedanta Limited, is India’s largest producer of aluminium, accounting for more than half of the country’s total output at 2.42 million tonnes in FY25. A leader in value-added aluminium products with applications across core industries, the company ranked 2nd globally in the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment 2024 for the aluminium sector, reaffirming its leadership in sustainable practices. With world-class smelters, an alumina refinery, and power plants in India, Vedanta Aluminium is advancing its mission to position aluminium as the ‘Metal of the Future’ and drive the transition to a greener tomorrow.