RAMAKRISHNA MATH AND RAMAKRISHNA MISSION

RELIEF BULLETIN

(Issued by the General Secretary from the Headquarters, Belur Math)

RELIEF WORK : A BRIEF REPORT AS ON 1 February 2003

1. TamilNadu Drought Relief: Chennai Math disrtibuted 18kg of rice per family to 4132 drought-affected families of several villages in Tanjore and Tiruvarur districts.

2. Karnataka Drought Relief: Steps are being taken to start drought relief in Karnataka through Mysore and Ulsoor centres.

3. Karnataka Distress Relief : Ulsoore centre distributed 350 saris and 350 dhotis to the poor and needy in and around Bangalore.

4. West Bengal Gangasagar Mela Medical Relief:As in previous years, this year also a medical relief camp was organized during Makar Sankranti Mela at Sagar Island in South 24-Parganas district from 11 to 15 January in collaboration with Seva Pratishthan, Sarisha and Manasadwip centres. A total of 3452 patients were treated, out of which 20 required indoor medical care. Besides, 160 Blankets were distributed among the poor pilgrims. Manasadwip centre arranged board and lodging facilities for 500 pilgrims at residential camps at the Mela area and the Ashrama.

5. Andhra Pradesh Fire Relief : Vishakapatnam centre distributed utensils and and clothes to 127 families of Gollalapalem village and assorted garments to 280 families of Gondapalem village (near Vishakapatnam) whose thatched houses were burnt fully by two fire accidents.

Winter Relief: The Headquarters distributed nearly 3500 blankets among the needy people through our different centres in various parts of the country. Besides, the following branch centres distributed independently blankets and warm garments among the poor people affected by the severe winter this year.

Along : 500 blankets; Chandigarh: 68 blankets; Limbdi; 210 blankets and 160 warm garments; Ranchi Sanatorium: 365 blankets; Vrindaban: 300 blankets/shawls.

Gujarat Earthquake Rehabilitation: One new housing colony built through Morbi camp and one new school building constructed through Porbandar centre were inaugurated and handed over to the quake victims and school authorities last month. The edetails are given below.

The Public meeting organized on these occasions were attended by prominent citizens of the locality and a large number of villagers.

The one-year-long earthquake rehabilitation project at Morbi (which included the construction of 38 houses 10 schools) and the two-year-long progect at Dhaneti (which included the construction of 252 houses and 3 schools) were finally cloed last month.

The progtress report of the construction of houses and schools by the Rehabilitation camps directly under the Headquarters and through our centres in Gujarat is as follows:

Houses

Schools

The total cost of the Gujarat Earthquake Rehabilitation Project is nearly Rs. 16.85 crore.

1. The birthday of Swami Vivekananda was celebrated at Belur Math on Friday, 24 January. The weather was fine, and thousands of devotees attended the celebration throughout the day. Cooked prasad was served to about 15,000 devotees.

2. Two students of Vivekananda Veda Vidyalaya, Belur Math, were awarded gold medals for ranking all-india first in Purva Madhyama (Higher Secondary) examinations 2002, conducted by Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan, New Delhi, which has affiliated institutions all over India.

3. Forty-one probationers were initiated into Brahmacharya on the occasion of Swami Vivekananda's birthday this year.

4. Swami Gahananandaji inuagurated at the paediatric wing at our Lucknow polyclinic on 7 December.

5. Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Mr. Mukut Mithi, accompanied by the State Power Minister Mr. Kento Ete, visited Along centre on 10 January and participated in the Ashramas annual celebrations.

6. Swami Athmasthanandaji , a vice-president of the order, laid the foundation stone for the proposed temple at Ichapore Math on 17 January, the sacred birthday of Srimad Swami Turiyanandaji Maharaj.

7. West Bengal Chief Minister Sri Budhadeb Bhattacharjee visited Narendrapur Ashrama on 18 January and inaugurated the annual celebrations of Lokshiksha Parishad and Blind Boy's Academy. He also participated in a seminar on Bio-diversity and Agriculture organized by the Ashrama.

8. Sri Atal Bihari Vaipayee, Prime Minister on India, Port Blair centre on 19 January and participated in a function organized in this connection.

13 & 16 November