Unity in diversity is what nehru had envisaged when psu townships were set up. a case in point has been nalco, where people from different backgrounds have coexisted since years, says Dhrutikam Mohanty
It took around two and half hours to cover 158 kilometers on NH-5 & 42, the distance between Orissa’s capital city of Bhubaneswar and the industrial hub of Angul. We approached a traffic square some six kilometres ahead of the district headquarters, where the road led straight to touch Angul town and the left and right diversions hived off to reach Nalco’s smelter complex and residential complex – Nalco Nagar.
Angul district of Orissa, which is abundant with natural resources, has turned into a industrial hot spot after National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO), came up in 1980s. Nalco has set up Asia’s largest integrated alumina-aluminium complexwith a 3,45,000 tpa smelter in Angul, which started commercial production in 1987. Close to it, a captive power plant of 960 MW capacity has been established for uninterrupted power supply to the smelter. Apart from exporting alumina & aluminium worldwide, Nalco has opened stockyards at various parts of the country to facilitate domestic marketing. With its consistent track record in capacity utilisation, technology absorption, quality assurance, export performance and profits, NALCO enjoys the status of a Navaratna company.
Presently, PSUs like National Themal Power Corporation, Mahanadi Coal Field Ltd. and Fertilizer Corporation of India also have mega industrial units in the Angul district. While Jindal Steel and Power Ltd. has come up with a steel complex and a 1500MW power generation unit, Bhushan Steel and Strips Ltd. also has a power plant and an advanced hot rolling plant here.
Nalco Nagar, the residential complex for employees of the company, was established in the year 1984 on an area of 619.88 acres. This well-planned, spacious, clean & green township has 3,583 quarters and it is ‘a home away from home’ for its 4,552 employees. The township will increase in population and size very soon, as construction of new quarters is at the final stages. In order to meet the housing requirement of the second phase of capacity expansion, NALCO has undertaken this project at a cost of Rs.40.91 billion.
NALCO runs two schools in the area: while in Saraswati Vidya Mandir, the medium of education is vernacular, the Delhi Public School imparts education via the CBSE pattern in English medium. “These schools provide education to both Nalconians and Non-Nalconians. The company does not discriminate on this line and the school fees are also very modest,” claims Anil Bhatt, Chief Manager, Public Relations & Periphery Development, NALCO, while elaborating on the company’s policy. As per the 2001census, the NALCO township has an average literacy rate of 73%, higher than the national average of 59.5%.
Nalconagar at Angul can also be called a mini India, as people from almost every state of the country live here. We found the secular texture of Indian society intact, as a temple, a mosque & a church are all built on the land provided by the company. People from all religions gather to celebrate each other’s festivals. Viswakarma Puja is regarded as the mass festival of the township; cutting across religion & regions, and employees congregate to celebrate this festival. Apart from this, Jagannath Rathyatra, Eid & Christmas are other important festivals of the township. “The company also provides funds to celebrate all these festivals,” says a senior executive of the company.
Though small in size, there is an all-in-one shopping complex in the township. A cooperative society of Nalco employees manages a departmental store also. Residents of this township depend upon this tiny shopping complex for their day-to-day needs. Recreational activities of the employees have been also taken care of. A mini stadium, a community centre and a sports complex signify this, as do many parks across the township. One can also find a symbolic recognition of the spirit of equality within the township as land & buildings have been allotted to three different worker unions and an officer’s association as well. In the recent past, these unions have vehemently opposed the central government’s proposal to privatise Nalco. However, the sight of old Fiat cars abandoned & dumped on streets in large numbers gives a startling, as well as discomfitting insight into the life of Nalco employees. We found 50-plus such cars and also noticed a number of Maruti 800s that have met the same fate as their Fiat predecessors! This reminded us of the allegations in a local daily, which stated that many company employees are grabbing monthly fuel allowance showing these vehicles as on road. The report alleged that employees buy such dilapidated vehicles for as low as Rs.10,000. If such misuse of government funds is true, it is a concern that most PSUs share.
Read more......
It took around two and half hours to cover 158 kilometers on NH-5 & 42, the distance between Orissa’s capital city of Bhubaneswar and the industrial hub of Angul. We approached a traffic square some six kilometres ahead of the district headquarters, where the road led straight to touch Angul town and the left and right diversions hived off to reach Nalco’s smelter complex and residential complex – Nalco Nagar.
Angul district of Orissa, which is abundant with natural resources, has turned into a industrial hot spot after National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO), came up in 1980s. Nalco has set up Asia’s largest integrated alumina-aluminium complexwith a 3,45,000 tpa smelter in Angul, which started commercial production in 1987. Close to it, a captive power plant of 960 MW capacity has been established for uninterrupted power supply to the smelter. Apart from exporting alumina & aluminium worldwide, Nalco has opened stockyards at various parts of the country to facilitate domestic marketing. With its consistent track record in capacity utilisation, technology absorption, quality assurance, export performance and profits, NALCO enjoys the status of a Navaratna company.
Presently, PSUs like National Themal Power Corporation, Mahanadi Coal Field Ltd. and Fertilizer Corporation of India also have mega industrial units in the Angul district. While Jindal Steel and Power Ltd. has come up with a steel complex and a 1500MW power generation unit, Bhushan Steel and Strips Ltd. also has a power plant and an advanced hot rolling plant here.
Nalco Nagar, the residential complex for employees of the company, was established in the year 1984 on an area of 619.88 acres. This well-planned, spacious, clean & green township has 3,583 quarters and it is ‘a home away from home’ for its 4,552 employees. The township will increase in population and size very soon, as construction of new quarters is at the final stages. In order to meet the housing requirement of the second phase of capacity expansion, NALCO has undertaken this project at a cost of Rs.40.91 billion.
NALCO runs two schools in the area: while in Saraswati Vidya Mandir, the medium of education is vernacular, the Delhi Public School imparts education via the CBSE pattern in English medium. “These schools provide education to both Nalconians and Non-Nalconians. The company does not discriminate on this line and the school fees are also very modest,” claims Anil Bhatt, Chief Manager, Public Relations & Periphery Development, NALCO, while elaborating on the company’s policy. As per the 2001census, the NALCO township has an average literacy rate of 73%, higher than the national average of 59.5%.
Nalconagar at Angul can also be called a mini India, as people from almost every state of the country live here. We found the secular texture of Indian society intact, as a temple, a mosque & a church are all built on the land provided by the company. People from all religions gather to celebrate each other’s festivals. Viswakarma Puja is regarded as the mass festival of the township; cutting across religion & regions, and employees congregate to celebrate this festival. Apart from this, Jagannath Rathyatra, Eid & Christmas are other important festivals of the township. “The company also provides funds to celebrate all these festivals,” says a senior executive of the company.
Though small in size, there is an all-in-one shopping complex in the township. A cooperative society of Nalco employees manages a departmental store also. Residents of this township depend upon this tiny shopping complex for their day-to-day needs. Recreational activities of the employees have been also taken care of. A mini stadium, a community centre and a sports complex signify this, as do many parks across the township. One can also find a symbolic recognition of the spirit of equality within the township as land & buildings have been allotted to three different worker unions and an officer’s association as well. In the recent past, these unions have vehemently opposed the central government’s proposal to privatise Nalco. However, the sight of old Fiat cars abandoned & dumped on streets in large numbers gives a startling, as well as discomfitting insight into the life of Nalco employees. We found 50-plus such cars and also noticed a number of Maruti 800s that have met the same fate as their Fiat predecessors! This reminded us of the allegations in a local daily, which stated that many company employees are grabbing monthly fuel allowance showing these vehicles as on road. The report alleged that employees buy such dilapidated vehicles for as low as Rs.10,000. If such misuse of government funds is true, it is a concern that most PSUs share.
Read more......
Source : IIPM Editorial, 2012.
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri
and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).
For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
Prof. Rajita Chaudhuri's Website
domain-b.com : IIPM ranked ahead of IIMs
Arindam Chaudhuri's Portfolio - he is at his candid best by Society Magazine
IIPM Best B School India
Management Guru Arindam Chaudhuri
Rajita Chaudhuri-The New Age Woman
IIPM's Management Consulting Arm-Planman Consulting
Professor Arindam Chaudhuri - A Man For The Society....
IIPM: Indian Institute of Planning and Management
IIPM makes business education truly global
IIPM B-School Detail
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri
and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).
For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
Prof. Rajita Chaudhuri's Website
domain-b.com : IIPM ranked ahead of IIMs
Arindam Chaudhuri's Portfolio - he is at his candid best by Society Magazine
IIPM Best B School India
Management Guru Arindam Chaudhuri
Rajita Chaudhuri-The New Age Woman
IIPM's Management Consulting Arm-Planman Consulting
Professor Arindam Chaudhuri - A Man For The Society....
IIPM: Indian Institute of Planning and Management
IIPM makes business education truly global
IIPM B-School Detail
