14 Students of Vedanta’s YPK Project get Jobs in Shoppers Shop

In Lanjigarh Block of Kalahandi district where Vedanta Ltd is running its Alumina Refinery of 1 MTPA capacity, unemployment scenario among youths is rampant. Due to low level of education qualification among youths and very less opportunities of job existing in the district the industry is facing huge pressure from local youths for employment.

To create alternative source of employment opportunity, Vedanta Ltd under its CSR has started ‘YuvaPragati Kendra’ project. The project was started to provide gainful employment to the poor unemployed rural youths of peripheral villages of Lanjigarh Block and reduce the burden on industry of job seekers.

The project was launched on 14th April’15 and is acting a ‘One Window Service Delivery system’ for youths. FIDR, a national NGO, with its Head Offices in Delhi & Bhubaneswar is the implementing partner for the project. The model of the project is any youth visiting the Centre is guided by the Counselor to apply from various govt. & private jobs available in the market on basis of their qualification and interest. Hand holding support is provided for form filling and other aspects to apply for the job. After that the student is prepared for the written and interview exams through team of experts to prepare well and face the exam. Besides FIDR is also working to set up ties with industries and organizations which have job requirements, and accordingly preparing candidates and facilitating for providing youth jobs.

Today on the felicitation Program our COO MrK.K.Dave attended and encouraged the youths to come forwards for a better future and YPK will eradicate poverty in region by creating opportunity for better livelihood. As a part of responsible Corporate we have taken priority in helping the youths with free training and guidance for earning, he added. Others who presented in the eve are such as Mr Jalaj Malpani(VP-Finance), Suvendu Roy Choudhury(AGM- Mines),K Ravi Kumar (FIDR) & Ranjan Sharma(CSR)

Over three month’s duration of its operation, YPK has successfully placed 16 students under different jobs on a salary range between Rs.8k – Rs.10k per month:
• Subash Chandra Tadi , from Jagannathpur village has been appointed by ICICI Bank as ‘Jewel Counselor’ and joined on 20th July’15.
• Miss Kshiralata Sahu from Raghunathpur village has been appointed by Mahashakti Foundation as ‘Field Officer’ and joined on 1st Jun’15
• 14 students from different peripheral villages have been appointed by ‘Shoppers Shop’ a big retail chain as ‘ Customer Care Associate’ and will be joining on 24 Aug’15.The salary per annum is Approx. Rs.1.5Lakh with room & other facilities.

This is just a beginning of the journey of the endeavor by the industry to local youths through YPK and other skill based projects to provide local youth’s employment options. Local leaders and community people are appreciative about this project and its model of facilitating youths to bag employment. The students and their parents who have bagged jobs have commended this effort of the company and wish if other youths of the area can queue in to take the benefit of the center and crack jobs.