Pujya Swamiji Meets with Union Minister for Human Resource Development, Smt. Smriti Irani

Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji and Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati met with Union Minister of Human Resource Development, Smt. Smriti Iraniji in Delhi.  Together they discussed a number of projects, including the inauguration of the Brightland International School in Chandrapuri, Rudraprayag, a school that had been washed away completely in the floods and rebuilt by Divine Shakti Foundation and Ganga Action Parivar, with the generous sponsorship of Mahavir Seva Sansthan, Kolkata, as well as with the on-ground partnership with SEEDS, in a new location for 200 schoolchildren, as well as 11 other school projects being undertaken.

They also discussed the “green” activities and efforts that are being done undertaken, such as bio-sand water filters, bio-toilets, a school Mid-Day Fruit program, solar energy, solid waste management,Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) education in the Himalayan schools affected by the floods of 2013 as well as inspiring such initiatives nation-wide.

Pujya Swamiji also discussed the new Triyuginarayan Livelihoods Centre with Smt. Iraniji, which has been built for widows and women affected by the floods of 2013 to empower them and give them a source of income.  The beautiful woven products they create at this centre will be part of GAP and DSF’s buy-back program.

Pujya Swamiji and Smt. Iraniji also discussed the Kedar Smriti Van, a project undertaken by GAP to plant trees in memory of all those who passed away in the 2013 floods.