Bhubaneswar
Vedanta Aluminium’s Project Sangam is strengthening water security, agricultural productivity and livelihoods in villages surrounding its alumina refinery in Lanjigarh, Kalahandi. Launched in 2023, the integrated watershed and livelihood initiative combines rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge, farm ponds, climate-resilient agriculture, skill development and community-led livelihood interventions.
The programme has created visible changes in rural communities. In Niali village, a farm pond enabled farmer Lingraj Raouta to adopt integrated farming, combining banana cultivation, fisheries and horticulture. With assured irrigation, he reduced dependence on erratic rainfall and diversified his income. An investment of around ₹9,000 in banana cultivation generated nearly six-fold returns in a single harvest cycle, along with additional income from fisheries.
In Kenduguda village, Niranjan Nag established a 500-bird broiler poultry unit with support under Project Sangam, providing his family with a more stable source of income compared to daily wage labour.
Since its inception, the initiative has directly benefited more than 5,000 people and positively impacted over 15,000 individuals across 41 villages. It has created 73 water conservation structures, enabling irrigation across more than 1,700 acres, while promoting livelihoods through poultry, mushroom cultivation, beekeeping and goat rearing.
Project Sangam is also encouraging community participation and capacity building, helping rural families build greater resilience, self-reliance and sustainable livelihoods.
