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Service projects to touch one lakh during centenary ?Premchand Goel
Akhil Bharatiya Sewa Pramukh, RSS
It is almost 28 years since the service activities by RSS were formally launched in 1978 from Delhi as an organised structure. During these years, the work has reached the district level and during the birth centenary of Shri Guruji it has been resolved to spread it to the block level. Today Rashtriya Sewa Bharati has over 70,000 service projects across the country and this year the number would be increased to one lakh. Organiser correspondent Pramod Kumar spoke to Shri Premchand Goel, Akhil Bharatiya Sewa Pramukh of RSS to know the present status of service activities run by swayamsevaks and also the activities planned during the birth-centenary of Shri Guruji. Excerpts:
How and when did the Sewa work by the Sangh begin?
Though the swayamsevaks have always been in the forefront to render services during any calamity or situation of war, the regular service activities began in 1978 with the opening of a Samskar Kendra in Delhi by the then Sarsanghachalak Shri Bala Saheb Deoras. Following the Sarsanghachalak?s call different service activities in various parts of the country began after the Emergency under various banners like Sewa Bharati in Delhi, Lok and Jan Kalyan Samiti in Maharashtra, etc. But formally the Sewa Vibhag in the Sangh began in 1989 during the birth centenary of Dr Hedgewar with Shri Yadavrao Joshi as the first Akhil Bharatiya Sewa Pramukh. The Vibhag was set up to coordinate various service activities being run by swayamsevaks. After Yadavrao Joshiji the Sewa Vibhag was guided by Shri K. Suryanarayan Rao and Bhaiyaji Joshi and now I have the responsibility for the last three years.
For the last five-six years special efforts have been made at shakhas to infuse a sense of service among swayamsevaks. We have taken the programme ?one shakha, one sewa basti? at every shakha. Our shakhas in every basti now act as mediator to bring the affluent people of ordinary localities and the deprived people of the sewa basti closer. Now people of both the localities have started sharing each other?s sorrows and happiness and an atmosphere of social harmony has developed. In north India, the programmes Khichari and Kanyapoojan have proved very helpful in developing the sense of social harmony. Now I feel the RSS dream of social harmony has started coming true. The differences of caste, poverty or richness have started disappearing. Such efforts are going on all over the country through our Sewa projects.
For the last five-six years special efforts have been made at shakhas to infuse a sense of service among swayamsevaks. We have taken the programme ?one shakha, one sewa basti? at every shakha. Our shakhas in every basti now act as mediator to bring the affluent people of ordinary localities and the deprived people of the sewa basti closer.
What is the present status of Sewa Bharati work?
Today, there is not a single Prant of the country from Srinagar to Kanyakumari and North-East to Gujarat where the service activities by the Sangh are not being carried out. Rather we have reached the district level in all the Prants and during Shri Guruji's birth-centenary we have resolved to reach the block level. Every Prant has developed different focus areas. For example, Tamil Nadu has very strong Self Help Groups (SHGs) of women. In the villages of Kanyakumari district alone, there are over 1,600 SHGs. The emphasis in Kerala is Bal Gokulam where samskars are imparted among children through various activities. Maharashtra has developed a network of health centres and blood banks. The speciality of the North-east including Assam, is the chain of 4,000 Arogya Rakashak in villages. In Delhi, computer education, Bal Samskar Kendras, libraries, cutting-tailoring centres for women, health and vocational training centres are working effectively. Now, Sewa Bharati, Delhi has started the largest ever literacy drive in J.J. colonies. In Maharashtra, our work among nomadic communities under the banner Bhatake Vimukta Parishad, has produced very remarkable results and 46 such communities are in our touch. We have set up schools for their children and with our efforts their ration cards have been made and they have also been listed in the electoral rolls. Today, we have 70,000 service projects under the banner of Rashtriya Sewa Bharati alone. This year the Sangh has resolved to increase this number to one lakh. The menace of conversion has also been curbed through our projects and those who had left their original roots are returning in lakhs.
What types of programmes are being taken up by Sewa Bharati during the Shri Guruji birth centenary?
Different service activities have been planned in different Prants. Delhi has taken up the literacy drive. Its first phase began from February 1. In this phase we would make 20,000 people literate. This programme may also be taken up in some other Prants. In Maharashtra we have decided to undertake the extensive health check-up for children. The Southern Prants have prepared programmes for swavlamban. In North-east also, literacy and swavlamban activities have been planned. This year we have decided to establish contact in all the J.J. colonies of the cities. For that we have taken up the literacy and tree-plantation drives. Arogya Bharati and National Medicos Organisation are helping in the health check up drive.
Sangh had collected fund for service activities during Dr Hedgewar?s birth centenary in 1989. Is similar drive being carried out this year also?
At that time fund was collected and various service activities under Dr Saheb?s name were started in various parts of the country. But this year no such drive is to be carried out. Today, we have developed the credibility in the society that we do not lack funds for any of our service project. A number of donors are willingly coming forward to fund our projects. In fact we are trying to increase the manpower now.
Today, there is not a single Prant of the country from Srinagar to Kanyakumari and North-East to Gujarat where the service activities by the Sangh are not being carried out. Rather we have reached the district level in all the Prants and during Shri Guruji birth-centenary we have resolved to reach the block level.
What is the status of post tsunami rehabilitation work by Sewa Bharati?
Over 4,000 Sewa Bharati and RSS activists had participated in the tsunami relief work. They saved the lives of hundreds of victims and also cremated about 2,500 bodies. Over 10,000 victims were fed at the relief camps for months. After that, we constructed 1,000 temporary sheds for victims. The relief activities were also carried out in Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The Government of Tamil Nadu had granted us permission to construct 800 permanent houses for the victims. It was the biggest work given to any NGO by the government. The first phase of the project will be completed by April 2006. We are also constructing community centres and temples for tsunami victims.
What is the status of service activities carried out by other organisations associated with the RSS?
Vidya Bharati runs over 4,000 Samskar Kendras and thousands of Ekal Vidyalayas. Now they are working on the plan of ?one school, one Samskar Kendra.? Similarly Bharat Vikas Parishad runs various projects for physically challenged people. It also provides scholarship to students. Under the project Bharat ko jano, the Parishad is educating the new generation about the glorious past of our country and that has produced very inspiring results. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad besides running various Ekal Vidyalays, also runs bhajan mandalis, satsang kendras, etc. The work of Deendayal Research Institute (DRI) in 400 villages of Gonda, Chitrakoot, Beed, etc. has produced excellent results. The Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram is also running thousands of projects among Vanvasis. Besides these national organisations, there are a number of state level organisations, which are working in limited areas but are producing good results.
The Government of Tamil Nadu had granted us permission to construct 800 permanent houses for the victims. It was the biggest work given to any NGO by the government. The first phase of the project will be completed by April 2006.
What are the activities in the villages?
A number of service projects are going on in different villages. Some 112 villages of the country are being developed as model village. In such villages, the people are not only self-reliant but an atmosphere of complete social harmony has developed through Sangh's sincere efforts. Their economic status has improved remarkably and now the local disputes are resolved in villages only. Besides all-round village development, we are also running projects for cow protection. About 1,500 goshalas are being run in different parts of the country. There are also projects to prepare medicines from the cow urine and milk.
In which state the Sewa work is the most effective?
It is very difficult to name any particular state, as the work is quite effective in almost all the states. We have good projects in most of the sewa bastis of Delhi. But in Assam we have Arogya Rakashak project. Despite various restrictions, our projects in Tamil Nadu are running smoothly among women through SHGs. The localities which the saints used to normally avoid visiting have now started witnessing the leading saints of the country having meals with those people. This change has come due to the service activities of Sewa Bharati.
What kind of work does Sewa Bharati have in J&K?
We have over 200 projects in the state. We have a project in Srinagar where Muslim women in large number learn cutting tailoring and the youth learn computer. They also avail the benefit of our health centre, etc. During the recent earthquake, Sewa Bharati workers were in the fore front to help the victims. We do not discriminate on the basis of way of worship. We serve people with true heart.
What has been your experience with the Christian community?
They also visit our centres. But in comparison to Muslims, they avoid participating in activities. In literacy centres in Delhi a large number of Muslim children come but the number of Christians is limited. But there is no restriction from our side. Education centres, Samskar Kendras are for everybody.
Sewa Bharati aims to make the society so alert and vigilant that the affluent section itself recognises its duty towards the deprived section and willingly comes forward to help them.
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