A top mining and metal professional with a successful track record of performance in coal, steel and aluminium sector, Dr. Tapan Kumar Chand has been appointed as the Resident Director of Vedanta Limited for Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
The former CMD of NALCO and presently serving as the Independent Director of BALCO, Dr. Chand assumed the charge on Friday.
This high-level appointment comes in the wake of Vedanta pushing for emerging as the second largest producer of aluminium in the world with 3-million-ton aluminium and 6-million-ton alumina capacity.
At present Vedanta Ltd. is the largest producer of aluminium in India.
With aluminium demand likely to be doubled in next five years, Vedanta Ltd’s plan is timely to meet the country’s demand for aluminium and ensure Atma Nirbhar Bharat.
Dr. Chand will have the big agenda of operationalisation of three coal blocks in Odisha that Vedanta has got in auction with annual raising of 18 million tonnes and bauxite security of 22 million tonnes per annum. Another big agenda is setting up of Jharsuguda Aluminium Park in Odisha and Aluminium Park in Chhattisgarh, the cherished dream of local MSMEs.
Since Dr. Chand is known for innovative and empathetic CSR schemes taking the stakeholders on board, Vedanta is likely to have a transformational community engagement approach in these areas, a welcome change for locals in Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
It may be recalled that during the tenure of Dr. Chand, NALCO got complete raw material security with extension of lease of Panchpatpali Bauxite mines, allocation of Pattangi Bauxite mines and coal blocks.
Industry bodies, professionals, sector analysts and people from different quarters in Odisha and stakeholders in Chhattisgarh have welcomed Vedanta’s move to appoint Dr. Chand as the Resident Director.
With Odisha emerging as the ‘aluminium capital’ of India, the appointment of Dr. Chand holds significant importance.