By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The Ramakrishna Mission (RKM), Shillong has adopted two villages each in East Khasi Hills under Gadadhar Abhyudaya Prakalpa (GAP) and Vivekananda Swasthya Parisheva Prakalpa (SPP), respectively which is running in 24 states all over the country.
This was informed by the Secretary, RKM, Shillong on Friday. These two projects out of eight such projects are sponsored by the Union Government in commemoration of the 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda.
The GAP is a project for an all-round development of children in poor and backward areas covering 174 units in 24 states, benefitting 17,400 children approximately with a total of Rs412.62 lakh earmarked.
The SPP is a project for improvement of health of poor children through elimination of malnutrition, immunization of babies etc. covering 126 units in 24 states benefitting 12,600 children approximately with a total of Rs253.70 lakh earmarked.
The remaining six projects – Print Media (6.85 lakh copies of books on Swamiji’s life and teachings in 10 languages and 6.28 lakh copies on 12 other titles in 6 languages have been printed), Cultural Programme Project (four state level seminars on religious harmony / interfaith harmony were organized), Electronic Media Project (Ministry of Culture constituted a committee consisting of representatives of Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and RKM to produce a full length feature film on the life and message of Swamiji), Sarada Palli Vikas Prakalpa (for educational development and self empowerment of rural women in ten villages), Swami Akhandananda Seva Prakalpa (for elimination of severe poverty from 10 selected pockets in rural and urban areas) and Special Programmes for the Youth (regional competitions in elocution, essay writing, debate and quiz were organized) – will also be organized by RKM, Shillong in due course of time.
Meanwhile, the 102nd Annual General Meeting of Ramakrishna Mission was held at Belur Math recently. The 175th Birth Anniversary of Sri Ramakrishna was celebrated by the headquarters and its centres all over the world.
In commemoration of the 150th Birth Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, a four yearlong service programme was inaugurated and in the educational field many new projects were initiated.
Similar new projects were also initiated in medical, rural development and outside India.
The RK Math and Mission also undertook relief and rehabilitation programmes in several parts of the country besides welfare work, medical service, educational work and rural and tribal development projects.