A rejuvenated lake 

A number of Palanpuri family businesses have been extending their support to various welfare and development projects being taken up by the Vicharta Samuday Samarthan Manch (VSSM), an organization working for holistic development of the Nomadic Tribes, De-Notified Tribes and other most marginalized communities in North Gujarat, particularly Banaskantha district.

Among those who have supported the activities of VSSM are Jewelex India Pvt. Ltd., Mahendra Brothers, Rosy Blue and Kantilal Chhotalal. 

VSSM has been involved in addressing various social and environmental challenges and its work is focused on Environment Conservation (i.e. water resource management, green cover management of the arid region, ground water recharge etc.), Housing, Livelihood Enhancement and other similar programmes. 

A brief summary of some of its noteworthy projects:

Environment Protection

Participatory Water Management: This project has focused on measures such as desilting, deepening, farm ponds etc. to increase the water
retention capacity of existing lakes in villages in North Gujarat and sensitizing villagers on the impending water crisis if such steps are not taken.

Since 2015, VSSM has desilted 194 lakes under a PPP model and in 2021, it has also installed 12 recharge borewells.

 Tree Plantation Project

Tree Plantation and Green Cover Management: This project has a key significance in a region that has been drought-prone and is facing many ecological issues. Since the launch of this initiative in 2019, VSSM has planted nearly 4.92 lakh trees in Banaskantha district with a significant survival ration of over 97%. The aim is to plant 5.00 lakh trees by FY 2022-23.

Housing

As the advent of machines and industrialization has brought changes in the lives of the nomadic communities, their need for a settled existence has grown. VSSM has worked with the government for allotment of plots and also offered financial assistance in construction of houses. Since 2010, over 1,000 families have benefited from these efforts in North Gujarat alone. VSSM further advises and assists them in availing of the benefits of government welfare schemes.

Alternative Livelihoods for Swalamban

VSSM offers a number of programmes for increasing skills, financial planning and creating alternative livelihoods for the nomadic communities. Launched in 2014, with a fund of just Rs 1 lakh, the programme in 2022 has a current revolving fund of nearly Rs 6.82 crore.

Over 5,700 individuals have become Swavalamban (financially independent) with the help of interest free loans and other incentives and are now involved in 55 different vocations. An amount of Rs 17.06 crore has been disbursed and Rs 11.29 crore recovered in the process.

Educational facilities for children

Education

VSSM has established two functioning hostels in Gandhinagar and a hostel in Kakar for the children of nomadic families. A huge educational enclave in Pansar village of Kalol Block in Gandhinagar is also being developed.

In addition to these major programmes, VSSM also has a range of other activities such as Human Dignity – Advocacy Programme, Livelihood Tool Support Programme, Mavjat Programme, Sanjivani Arogya Setu and Medical Support Programme, Disaster Relief and Rehabilitation and Vadia Village Rehabilitation Programme, etc.

For more information https://www.vssmindia.org/