TURA, Feb 11: Deputy Manager of SBI Foundation (SBIF) Mumbai, Rajaram Chavan, is on a tour of the Garo Hills to oversee the ongoing Gram Seva project of SBIF under Dadenggre Block in West Garo HIlls. This is the first project of SBIF in Meghalaya and the foundation is looking to implement many more in different parts of the state.
The SBIF in partnership with BAKDIL, a social organisation, is implementing the Gram Seva programme in five villages under Dadenggre Block – Asimgre, Sategre, Dilsigre, Bolchuge and Sadolpara. These five villages will be the model village in terms of digitisation, supply of drinking water for every household, solar street lighting and renovating pre-primary schools to provide better learning environment.
On Thursday, Rajaram accompanied by Dadenggre SDO (Civil), SF Hamid visited Sategre village along with two BAKDIL members.
As many as 30 people participated in the meeting and interacted with the officers and shared their issues.
According to a statement issued by Bakdil, the project will support various livelihood activity training for the youth and women to start their own enterprise and make a living out of it.
The State Bank of India has also reportedly promised to provide individual loans for interested and potential entrepreneurs.
The SDO is also said to have encouraged the people to give full support and coordinate with SBIF and BAKDIL for the success of the project while at the same time assuring that his office would provide every possible help.
As part of the programme, the SBI official also paid house visits to check the availability of drinking water where it was found that villagers had to walk half a kilometre to fetch water to their homes.
In this connection, an assurance was given by the SBIF that it would ensure drinking water is available at centre point not far from the houses to minimise the distance.