Bhubaneswar: The community development initiatives of Hindalco, a part of the Aditya Birla Group, have significantly impacted the tribal-dominated district of Sambalpur in Odisha through its ‘Ama Pada’ project in Nimpali village.
Nimpali village, with a population of just over 300 people, faces challenges with 90 percent belonging to schedule tribes (STs) and 5 percent to schedule castes (SCs). The low literacy rate and overall backwardness have posed difficulties for the villagers, who mainly rely on wage labor and lack awareness about government welfare schemes.
Recognizing the challenges, Hindalco, through the Aditya Birla Centre for Community Initiative and Rural Development, initiated various interventions. A primary survey revealed the absence of toilets in most households, prompting the construction of toilets for every household in alignment with the Swachh Bharat mission. This effort successfully transformed Nimpali into an open defecation-free village.
Addressing the critical issue of water scarcity, Hindalco’s CSR team dug a large pond to provide a sustainable water source for the villagers. Additionally, under Project Ama Pada, they renovated the dilapidated Anganwadi in Nimpali, equipping it with better teaching and learning materials to enhance child development.
Kailash Nath Pandey, Hindalco Sambalpur Cluster Head, emphasized the company’s commitment to enhancing the lives of the local community, stating, “Hindalco constantly works to maintain societal growth and meet its fundamental needs, aiming for inclusive progress.”
Residents, like Mandeep Khadia, appreciates Hindalco’s holistic approach, which not only provided toilets but also improved educational facilities. Sambalpur Municipal Corporation Additional Commissioner, Sunil Kerketta, commended Hindalco for providing basic infrastructure and constructing a large pond to address the water needs of Nimpali village. He also highlighted the upcoming community center, emphasizing its role in addressing the social needs of the villagers.
As a responsible corporate citizen, the Aditya Birla Group, driven by a commitment to societal well-being, reaches out to over 5 lakhs people, impacting more than 2 lakh lives in 128 villages across Odisha. The Group’s CSR initiatives, under the leadership of Rajashree Birla, align with the vision to actively contribute to the social and economic development of communities, building a better, sustainable way of life for the weaker sections of society and contributing to the country’s human development index. The CSR vision is aligned with UNSDG goals to eliminate poverty and ensure freedom from hunger.
