Vedanta to Support 600 Anganwadi Centre in Rayagada of Orissa

March 10, 2010 - PRLog -- Vedanta Aluminium, Lanjigarh signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with District Administration of Rayagada and Vedanta Foundation on May 20, 2009 at Collector Residence Office, Rayagada to support 600 Anganwadi centres in five blocks of Rayagada district. The MoU for a project, named Bal Chetna program, was signed by Mr. Krushna Gopal Mohapatra, Collector, Rayagada; Dr. Mukesh Kumar, Chief Operating Officer, Vedanta Aluminium, Lanjigarh and Ms. S. Chaamundi, GM, Vedanta Foundation.

The project will cover all the Anganwadi centres in Muniguda, Bissamcuttack, Kolnara and Kesingpur block and 73% of the centres in Rayagada Block. All these centres cover about 30,000 children.

Children up to 2.5 years shall be given micro-nutrient supplement, where as children between 2.5 and six years will be given additional nutritional supplement along with the food provided by the Government, under ICDS program. Specialized training shall be conducted for the Anganwadi workers under the project to improve the pre-school education for the children. In order to make the Anganwadi centers more attractive, educational toys will also be given to each centre. Vedanta Foundation will be responsible for implementation of this program in the district.

Signing the MoU, Mr. Mohapatra said that the support would enhance the nutritional level of tribal children in the district. Dr Mukesh Kumar said, “In this tribal dominated area, nutritional level of children is below average. We are trying to make sure that through our Bal Chetna Project children get proper nutrition and care at the Anganwadi. This project will make the children healthy and happy and will increase their attendances in the Anganwadis”. As per the MoU, children in 139 Anganwadi centres in Muniguda block, 129 centres in Bissamcuttack block, 136 centres in Kolnara block, 115 centres in Kesingpur Block and 127 centres in Rayagada block of the district will be benefited in the project.

Mr. Samiron Sarkar, Head CSR; Ms. Sweta Upadhayay, Asst. Manager (CSR), Mr. Sanjay Sahoo, Asst Manager (PR) and Mr. BalaKrushna Rath, Project Head, Vedanta Foundation were also present during the MoU signing.

Presently, Vedanta is providing support to 400 Anganwadi centres in Kalahandi district, covering about 16000 children. Encouraged by the success of the program, the company extended the project to Rayagada district. The company has also been successfully operating 38 childcare centres with 1290 children in peripheral villages at Lanjigarh. The children are provided with free uniforms, nutritious mid-day meals, afternoon snacks at the childcare centres. ‘Bal Chetna Program’ is one of the Flagship program in the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities of Vedanta. The program is being implemented by Vedanta Foundation in partnership with local administration in Orissa, Chhattisgarh, and Rajasthan.

Source: Orissadiary.com