"In Villages of Ratnagiri district, Maharashtra, India"
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Xerophthalmia Control Project "In Villages of Ratnagiri district, Maharashtra, India" |
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The trust has converted many hills in the vicinity to green zones. These hills bore a dry and barren look once upon a time. The Trust has planted trees on it and now they look like thick forest. The trust has purchased land from farmers in the area. Earlier the only crop grown on this land was rice and that too was cultivated only during the rainy season, one crop a year. Rest eight months of the year the land was not used. Now with the advent of modern farming techniques the trust cultivates not only rice twice a year but also does vegetable and fruit farming. Wide variety of pulses, vegetables and fruits are grown in this land. Thus the trust has shown people in the area that the land in Ratnagiri is productive for variety of crops. Many rare Ayurvedic herbs have been cultivated on this land. Totally the Trust has brought 60 Acres of land directly under cultivation. The Trust has been supporting educational activities in the form of repairing and reconstructing Anganwadis and Schools in the area. It has provided laboratory equipments, school textbooks, School uniforms and other academic materials to the schools. The Trust has started its own English medium school in the area, which has benefited children in the vicinity of upto 30 kms. It has also started an Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM) training college, which is recognized by Maharashtra Nursing Council. The Trust has been distributing Scholarships ever year to 250 Primary School students, 50 students for higher education and 15 students for Post Graduation students. Total amount spent on this activity is Rs. 1.5 Million. Besides this, the Trust has distributed books and stationery to 2686 students and school uniforms to 450 children at the cost of Rs.0.5 million. It has donated computers to rural schools. The Trust has taken the responsibility of higher education of an Adivasi child who was 12th standard passed. 15 Years ago, the villages in this coastal region of Maharashtra State bore a deserted look as there was maddening rush of Villagers to cities due to attractions of pompous life, money etc. To encounter this evil and bring the farmers and villagers back to their fields, their homes, the Trust launched a massive programme “Back To Your Homes & Heart”. With the collaboration of experts from Agricultural colleges, the farmers have been taught productive methods of farming. The Trust has provided them with 24 Oxen and helped them to procure good quality seeds and fertilizers, with the result that once again the villagers are throbbing with new life. The Trust has spent several man-days on this programme. Through the Employment Guarantee Scheme, the Trust has ensured that there is no unemployed youth in this area and the enough wages are paid which will give them two square meals a day and they can save something for the rainy days. Today every family has at least one post office savings account. The Trust has been providing Free Medical Aid to the Villagers through the outpatients department, and dispensary at Dervan for the last 20 years @ Rs.6000/- per month. It is also providing subsidized medical aid through its dispensary named Late Sau Mata Jankibai Ganesh Joshi dispensary at Pune. Here, the Trust has been spending Rs.10,000/- p.m. for the last eight years on Medicines and medical aid to the underprivileged. On an average 1000 patients are treated per month. The Trust has conducted various Medical and Health Awareness Camps including AIDS Awareness Camps, Cancer Screening Immunization Camps by taking help of expert doctors and providing medicines to the villagers from remote and backward areas. Till now more than 150 camps have been conducted and more than 100,000 people have benefited. The average cost of each camp is Rs.15,000/-. The Trust has raised awareness in the villages on the issue of Alcoholism and Drug abuse `Mahila Mandals’ that is Women Organisations were formed in each village. Awareness was created amongst these groups and with their help the Trust was able to ban alcoholism in the villages. The Trust with its initiative and drive has been successful in implementing 100% Alcohol Prohibition in Dervan and nearby villages with the active co-operation of women folk who destroy illicit liquor dens whenever they are found. The Trust has planted about 25,000 to 30,000 trees on once deserted looking hills. These hills have been fenced from all sides and thus cutting down of trees is being prevented. In 1982-84 there was severe draught in this area. The Trust purchased large quantity of grass and distributed it free to the villages to Feed Their Cattle. The Trust has spent Rs.0.8 million on this. The Trust has given cattle to villagers for agricultural purposes. Awareness has been raised on the issue of cattle care by bringing experts in to educate the people. Each farmer has to give in writing that he would feed his cattle well, take proper care and not sell them. Also he has to bring the cattle at least once a year to the Trust so as to ensure that proper cattle care is being taken. |
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