More than 400 Divyangjans to be benefited through Assistive support Camps in Angul, Damanjodi & Bhubaneswar
In a significant stride towards empowering Persons with Disabilities (PwDs), National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO), the Navratna CPSE under the Ministry of Mines, Govt of India, conducted a series of assistive device distribution camps across Angul, Damanjodi and Bhubaneswar as part of its CSR outreach. The initiative, organised to commemorate World Disability Day, aimed at enhancing mobility, independence and quality of life for Divyangjans residing in the vicinity of the Company’s operating units. The series of simultaneous distribution camps commenced at NALCO’s Smelter & Power Complex, Angul, where Shri Brijendra Pratap Singh, CMD, NALCO, along with Dr. Tapas Kumar Pattanayak, Director (HR) and Shri Pankaj Kumar Sharma, Director (Production), handed over the assistive devices to the beneficiaries. Senior officials of the Complex were also present. Speaking on the occasion, Shri Singh, reiterated the Company’s commitment to inclusive development. He stated that NALCO continues to place strong emphasis on empowering the vulnerable sections of society through meaningful and impactful CSR interventions. At Bhubaneswar, the camp organised at Bhima Bhoi Government High School witnessed the distribution of assistive devices to 76 visually impaired students, in the presence of Shri Jagdish Arora, Director (P&T), Shri Abhay Kumar Behuria, Director (Finance), and senior officials of NALCO and NALCO Foundation. Similarly, at the Mines & Refinery Complex, Damanjodi, 40 beneficiaries were provided with 83 assistive devices today. Notably, a total of 189 beneficiaries from around 200 peripheral villages of Mines & Refinery Complex will be receiving assistive device / aids, including four beneficiaries who will be provided with prosthetic limbs, ensuring enhanced mobility and confidence. Company’s CSR wing - NALCO Foundation, in collaboration with the Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India (ALIMCO) and with support from the respective District Administrations, Government of Odisha, is facilitating the distribution of 687 assistive devices, which includes battery-operated motorized tricycles, wheelchairs, prosthetic limbs, hearing aids, smartphones with screen-reading features, Sugamaya canes, and other mobility aids. In total, more than 400 beneficiaries from 44 periphery villages of Angul, 200 villages around Damanjodi, and visually impaired students in Bhubaneswar are being covered under this initiative. It is worth mentioning that NALCO has signed an MoU with ALIMCO to identify and support PwDs/Divyangjans with suitable assistive devices, thereby promoting accessibility, dignity and long-term community development. Through such consistent efforts, NALCO continues to reaffirm its dedication to fostering an inclusive and empowered society in its operational areas.