Vivekanand Education Society staff contributes one day salary to Maharashtra drought relief efforts

• Rs 12 lakh collected by teaching and non-teaching staff through one-day salary contribution

Mumbai: Realizing the need to provide immediate relief and aid to the remotest of villages in rural Maharashtra reeling under a severe drought, the teaching and non-teaching staff of Vivekanand Education Society (VES) contributed a day’s salary, amounting to Rs 12 lakh, to the drought relief efforts.The contribution drive was a voluntary initiative by 500 staff members working across 26 institutes affiliated to VES. A cheque of Rs. 12 lakh would be handed over tomorrow to Jan SevaKalyanSamiti, an NGO actively involved in relief activities in drought-stricken areas of Maharashtra.

“This is just a small effort, a drop in the ocean, that we have initiated as part of our miniscule contribution towards the relief efforts. At a time when large parts of rural Maharashtra are reeling under severe drought and people are having no recourse to basic amenities of life, providing them material comfort and monetary help is our foremost duty. VES remains firmly committed to contributing to community relief initiatives in rural areas and organizing more such fund-raising drives in the future shall remain our top priority, “stated Mr Mahesh Tejwani, President, VES.

VES has planned fund-raising drives in a phased manner for the drought-affected regions of Maharashtra. With classes resuming after summer vacations, students and parents are expected to take an active lead in further fund generation drives. The agendas of student council meetings will be focused on how to facilitate fund raising from different sources. There will be an increased emphasis on social media campaigns as part of a wider outreach towards potential donors.