Hindalco, Hirakud, an Aditya Birla Group company’s community development programmes have made a huge difference in the tribals-dominated district of Sambalpur through its project ‘Ama Pada’ in Nimpali village.

Nimpali has a populace of a little over 300. Of this, 90% are STs and 5% SCs. Low literacy rate and backwardness have made life difficult for these people who are striving hard to make their ends meet. They are dependent on the wage labour.

Hindalco, under the aegis of the Aditya Birla Centre for Community Initiative and Rural Development, started intervening at several levels.  A primary survey conducted by the Hindalco CSR team revealed that most of the households have no toilet. The company started construction of toilets for every household to develop, linking it to the government’s Swachh Bharat mission.  They succeeded in making Nimpali an open defecation-free village.

As availability of water was a major issue, Hindalco’s CSR team dug a huge pond to provide water for the villagers. Furthermore, they completely renovated the dilapidated Anganwadi, furnishing it also with better teaching and learning materials.

Hindalco Sambalpur Cluster head Kailash Nath Pandey said, “We have been undertaking projects that ease the life of the people in and around our area of operation.”

Sambalpur Municipal Corporation Additional Commissioner Sunil Kerketta applauded Hindalco’s endeavours, particularly the construction of a large pond to meet the villagers’ water needs. The community centre that Hindalco is planning to construct soon would also take care of the social needs of the people of Nimpali, added Kerketta.

In Odisha, the Aditya Birla Group reaches out to over 5 lakh people touching over 2 lakh lives in 128 villages. The Group’s CSR is conducted under the aegis of the Aditya Birla Centre for Community Initiatives and Rural Development chaired by Rajashree Birla.