Gram Swaraj Sangh - A Gandhian Institute preserving values of selfless service

Special Report: Silver lining in Black Clouds 

The National council of Rural Institute New Delhi, had  sanctioned a project "Naye Talim"  in Gujarat. The project proposed to create an impact on education in rural areas under ‘Naye Talim’. Out of the 25 selected institutions selected to start theses institutions, the 11th institution of ‘Naye Talim’ was started under the aegis of Gram Swaraj Sangh Trust, at Nilpar. The institute started on 18/6/1979 in the back ground region like Vagad (Rapar, Bhachau) Taluka of Kutch district. The institution has been the local point for village development in the Rapar Taluka in a very special way....

The Sangh Philosophy:

• The Sangh undertakes projects to benefit the people of the area, ensuring at the same time mass participation of the people for whose benefit the activity is being undertaken.

• Fair, transparent and economical administration 

• The Sangh believes in equality without discrimination on the basis of religion, caste or gender, with the intention of helping the last man first. 

• The Sangh believes in Gandhian Philosophy and political non-alignment.

• Promote community living based on work and society with socially relevant education. 

Sangh Structure:

Sri Gram Swaraj Sangh operates as a mother organization, acting as an umbrella for other organizations for development work in the area. All work is carried out by charitable trusts.

     

	Name of the Organization	Year Started
Main Organization	Sri Gram Swaraj Sangh, Nilpar	1978
Sister Organization	Sushil Trust	1991
Sister Organization	Maganbhai Soni Smarak Trust	1993

The organization operates from four campuses - Nilpar, Vallabhpur, Ratanpar (Khadir) and Selari. 

Working:

Education: 700 children are studying from 1st to 10th standard in various schools run by the Sangh and associated organizations. Of these, 500 children study in residential schools, with the organization bearing expenses with the help of the government and other organizations engaged in similar work. The Sangh inculcates self-respect and independence in students along with community work. They earn whatever they eat and do not live off others. We try to ensure that they earn their livelihood. 

Other than the syllabus that is covered they are given exposure to libraries, laboratories, work camps, treasure hunts, fetes, travel tours, creative-writing competitions etc. Other than these, other programmes are run for the benefit of the school children. Hostel, Gaushala, Adivasi Kanyashala, and Residence of workers, offices, and guesthouse etc. total 59 buildings are erected.

Library: There are specialized books numbering 3200 in the library. Collection of Tagore’s works, Meghani, Premchandaji, Gandhiji, Pananalal Patel, Kanyalal Munshi, Vinobaji, Gunavant shah, Kanti Bhatt, Sachidnadji, Kundanika Kapadia, Kanti Shah etc. well known and famous writers published books are stored in the library. At present expenditure have been made Rs. 46,260/- worth of books have 

Laboratory: The liveliness of the laboratory wholly on the science teacher. The vidyalaya has sufficient special ‘dust proof ‘ accommodation, Life science, experiments, are also performed on the subject of agriculture on every children. Every year by the student of every standard. For eg. katka kalam, Bhet kalam, Gundi kalam, find out the proportion of the fats in the milk, give proper treatment to sick cattle and preparing jam, cold drinks (sharbat) penda (sweet item) and Shreekhand.

 Relief and Reconstruction of Homes

1. Kutch is a region that is often devastated by natural calamities. Five out of every seven years people in this area are faced by adverse situations in the form of famine, cyclones, etc. 

(i)1986-1988: In these three years of calamity, the students ran a program for providing fodder and water for the livestock in the district.

(ii) This program was also run in 1993-1994 and ensured that food was also available for the cattle owners. This was run over a period of seven months and covered 1000 buffaloes and 250 cows.

(iii) 1999-2000: In this period, relief work was done in the areas of Khadhir, and cows and buffaloes were tended as before. In the villages covered in this period: Kharoda, Ganeshpur, and Ratanpur - cattle feeding centres were started which are still functioning successfully.

(iv) In the cyclone that devastated Gujarat in 1998, the students ran a “Kutch rehabilitation program” was run alongside other relief activities. This involved building 65 houses in the villages of Amrapar, Versivaat, Lalahiravaat, Gadhada and Ratanpur. With the donations that arrived as a result of relief activities during this time, “Sulabh Gram Aavas Yojna” was started. Under this Rs 4,000 is given for reconstruction of houses and the scheme covered about 1100 families.

2. In the earthquake that devastated Kutch on 26th January in Bhuj, Bhachau, Anjar and Rapar Taluka, most of the villages and towns were destroyed. There was significant loss of property at various campuses. Nilpar and Vallabhpur campuses of the Trust were totally grounded. Along with the help of other NGOs, GSS got into relief work for the region and the Nilpar campus was converted into a base for initiation of relief activities in the Rapar taluka.

3. Employment - Self-dependence: In order to provide employment to all the residents of the Gram, “Amber Spinning Centre” was started. By ways of this scheme, 18 women earned revenue of about Rs.4 lakh in the year 1999-2000. Tailors also received employment under this scheme. The Khadi Bhandar that is operated by the institution has annual revenue of approximately Rs. 20 lakhs. In the villages of Selari, Kanpar, Vallabhpur, Sai, Ratanpar, Dholavira stitching centres have been operational. This process has helped 113 artisans helped by ensuring independent employment streams. 

Agriculture and Livestock: On it’s main campuses there is about 15 acres of agricultural tract and students are taught on various aspects of agriculture. At the Nilpar campus, a cowshed, which houses 12 cows, is present. All work related to agriculture and livestock in the school is managed by the students.

Environment friendliness: Planting trees, soil enhancement, waste management, water management are various programs that also carried out in the realm of environment friendly treatises. The organization considers environment protection as one of the utmost priorities in this generation. Description of Rural Development activities that have been carried out are given below

A program has been proposed to take over the rehabilitation of five new villages by means of the Watershed program next year.                        

The level of the destruction to the institution due to the on 26th devastating earthquake, the rough formula on necessary rehabilitation 

The institute’s campus at Nilpar has virtually been razed to the ground and is not in a good condition to use again. The institution has been built by the hard work and savings of 23 years like little drops make an ocean, but all this has been razed to the ground in only 100 seconds earthquake. 50,000 square foot construction and roughly 40 buildings have been useless.

Rehabilitation:

 The process of work of rehabilitation of the buildings has begun. In the construction to be done hence forth the following point will be kept in mind.

1. It will be made form the local material as far as possible.

2. Use of old discarded building material. 

3. Create local employed.

4. Construction should be simple, heat and economically designed. 

5. The necessity of the entire campus should be kept in mind while preparing the master plan and reconstruction

6. Local climate, way to living, cultural needs should be adhered to. 

7. Can withstand where earthquake proof. 

The work of implementing all the above parameters simultaneously has been precarious and may require some time. For that our experience over and above various experience of various rules and design and planning based on them are taken in to consideration. 

Other Activities:

Eye donations, physical health programs, and provision of justice to the underprivileged are other programs that are run by the organization.

Annexure 3:

Estimation cost of Nilpar campus buildings:

Cost Estimation of Shree Gram Swaraj Sangh – Nilpar,
Vinay Mandir Uttar Buniyadi Vidhyalaya (Taluka Rapar –Kutch) Total 150 students

Note: Rs. 250/- cost estimation construction / sq.foot is including light fittings, Furniture, plumbing, Wall drawer. It is approximately cost.

Sr. No	Name of Building	No. of Building	Measure	Total Area (sq.foot)	Construction (sq.foot/Rs.)	Total Estimation Cost (Rs.)
1	Office	1	15*20	300	250	75,000
2	Staff Room	1	15*20	300	250	75,000
3	Class Room (1st stand.)	1	20*20	400	250	1,00,000
4	(2nd +7th stand.)	6	15*20	1800	250	4,50,000
5	Laboratory	1	20*20	400	250	1,00,000
6	Library	1	15*20	300	250	75,000
7	Swathaya Room	1	22*20	440	250	1,10,000
8	Hostel –1	1	70*20	1400	250	3,50,000
9	Hostel	1	30*20	1800	250	4,50,000
10	Dinning Room	1	70*20	1400	250	3,50,000
11	Kitchen	1	22*22	484	250	1,21,000
12	Store Room	1	22*2522	484	250	1,21,500
13	Logistic room	1	15*12	180	200	45,000
14	Parents Room	1	10*12	120	250	30,000
15	Patient Room	1	10*12	120	250	30,000
16	Principal House	1	25*20	500	250	1,25,000
17	Teachers Quarter	6	20*20	2400	250	6,00,000
18	Hobby Room	1	15*20	300	250	75,000
19	Instrument Room	6	10*12	120	250	30,000
20	Stage	1	2.5*2.5	625	40	10,000
21	Store Room	1	15*12	180	250	45,000
22	Coal+Fuel Room	1	15*20	300	100	30,000
23	Toilets	12	3.5*3	126	160	20,160
24	Bathrooms	10	2.5 *2.5	62,5	160	10,000
25	Water Tank	3	6*5*5	450	55	24,750
26	Bathroom	12	4.5*4	216	160	34,560
28	Underground water Tank	1	10*10*6	600	40	24,000
			TOTAL			35,52,470

Note: This Ashramshala is provided facility up to primary school.           (Standard 1^st to 7^th )
Rs. 250/- cost estimation; construction/sq.foot is including light fittings, Furniture, plumbing, Wall drawer. It is approximately cost.

 

Sr. No	Name of Building	No. of Building	Measure	Total Area (sq.foot)	Construction (Sq.foot/Rs.)	Total Estimation Cost (Rs.)
1	Office	1	18*22	396	250	99,000
2	Hostel-1(Prayer hall)	1	100*20	2000	250	5,00,000
3	Hostel	8	20*12	1920	250	4,80,000
4	Kitchen	1	22*22	484	250	1,21,000
5	Store Room	1	22*25	550	250	1,37,500
6	Dinning Room	1	70*20	1400	250	3,50,000
7	Parents Room	1	15*12	1400	250	45,000
8	Patient Room	1	12*12	144	250	35,000
9	Logistics Room	1	15*12	180	250	45,000
10	Students store Room	1	10*12	120	250	30,000
11	Store Room	1	15*12	180	160	28,800
12	Library+ Swathaya Room	1	22*25	550	250	1,37,500
13	Water Room	1	10*15	150	160	24,000
14	Generator Room	1	15*12	180	160	28,800
15	Coal+ Fuel Room	1	15*20	300	100	30,000
16	Rector Room	1	20*20	800	250	2,00,000
17	Security Room	1	20*15	300	250	2,25,000
18	Cook’s Room	3	20*15	900	250	2,25,000
19	Under ground Tank	1	10*15*6	900	40	36,000
20	Toilets	12	3.5*3	126	160	20,160
21	Bathrooms	12	3.5*3	126	160	20,160
22	Swimming Place	1	25*12	300	90	27,000
23	Bathroom	12	3.5*3	126	160	10,000
24	Water Tank (drink)	3	6*5*5	450	55	24,750
				Total		27,30,670

Contact Address:

Shri GramSwarajSangh Earthquake Relief Fund
DenaBank(Rahpar) Acount no:7656

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