by Father Blany PInto for BISMumbai

During this spring season, we are glad to share the several developments that have been springing up are finally attaining fruition with the efforts of our social outreach staff. The 03 villages (Vaksai, Karanduli and Mundhavare) have been availing the facilities of government provided food packets through the gram panchayat for children below 5 years and pregnant women. Our staff is regularly ensuring that the villages are receiving their provisions.

Through the Chiraj project, an NGO, sponsored the villages with solar panels for street and home lights. Vaksai village received 03 solar panel for street lights and 35 solar panel for home lights; 02 solar panels for streetlights and 30 solar panel for homelights was distributed to Mundhavare village; and 10 solar panels for homelights for the Bhaje village.

Thanks to the constant follow-up by Ashok Jadhav, the coordinator for the Karanduli village with the Gram Panchayat, the road leading from the village to the main road is now complete.

With the aforementioned accomplishments, Sonali and Ravi Shelke are working towards obtaining benefits for the villages from various government schemes available. They are currently explaining and assisting the villagers of Karunduli village to avail the benefits of the scheme for land allotted to the families on which they are presently living and ensuring that the money reaches the families for building the house. Our staff is also helping the widows to acquire the required documents to avail the new government schemes – Sanjay Gandhi Niradhar Yojna, whereby widows and single women get a small monetary amount from the government for sustenance.

Our staff is also scouting to help those families who can avail the scheme for the seniors who are physically unable to work and have no means of income. Simultaneously, the villagers are being made aware of the voting rights and guiding them to acquire their voting cards.

Follow-up and discussions are underway with Gram Panchayat leaders with regard to the road that was promised to be built in Vaksai village for which the finances were sanctioned but the road work has not yet begun. Alsi, MLA Sunil Shelke was made aware of the difficulties the adivasis are facing and the impending works that were promised but not yet begun and some of which have begun but not yet completed.

A big thanks to Mr. Sunil Dutt, who sponsored food items to Vaksai village to cater and provide khichdi thrice a week to the children who attend the tuition classes.