THEBUSINESSBYTES
BUREAU
JHARSUGUDA,
APRIL 30, 2026
Vedanta
Aluminium, India’s largest producer of aluminium, has launched VedSwad, a new
snack production initiative under the ambit of its Subhalaxmi Udyogini
community development project, opening up fresh entrepreneurial opportunities
for rural women in Jharsuguda.
Marked
by the inauguration of a new food production unit at Kurebaga in Jharsuguda,
the initiative seeks to further expand sustainable livelihood opportunities for
women across the region while celebrating Odisha’s rich culinary heritage.
VedSwad
currently offers more than ten varieties of authentic traditional snacks,
carefully prepared by women entrepreneurs from the Maa Baishnabi Self Help
Group, which is part of Vedanta’s Subhalaxmi Cooperative—Western Odisha’s
largest self-help group initiative with over 5,000 women members.
Vedanta
Aluminium has extended comprehensive support to the initiative through facility
upgrades and modern machinery. These enhancements are aimed at strengthening
the unit’s production capacity, improving process efficiency, and elevating
product quality, enabling the women entrepreneurs to scale their enterprise
with confidence.
The
initiative also draws strength from the enduring legacy of Subhalaxmi Udyogini,
one of Vedanta Aluminium’s flagship women empowerment programmes established in
2008. Operating across more than 100 villages in Jharsuguda, the programme
provides mentorship, training, and financial support to help women build
sustainable enterprises and drive development in their communities, empowering
more than 5,000 women through 440 self-help groups.
Speaking
on the initiative, C Chandru, CEO, Vedanta Jharsuguda, said, “We are focused on
creating long-term livelihood models that are owned and led by communities.
Subhalaxmi Udyogini has consistently demonstrated that with the right support,
women can build enterprises that are both sustainable and market-ready. The new
VedSwad initiative is another step in this direction, where traditional skills
are matched with wider quality controls and market access.”
Suniti
Patel, a member of the Maa Baishnabi Self Help Group, said, “The VedSwad
initiative helps us move from small-scale efforts to running a structured unit
with better tools and marketing opportunities. Our products now reach more
people, and our income has become more stable.”
The
VedSwad Food Unit in Kurebaga reflects Vedanta Aluminium’s commitment to
transformative community development, where impact is built through consistency
and local ownership. By strengthening grassroots entrepreneurship, the company
continues to enhance socio-economic resilience and create meaningful pathways
for rural women to lead community progress.
