OUR CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES

Over the years, the Sabha has initiated various schemes for welfare of the community.  In each of these schemes, the Sabha only acts as a facilitator, by collecting funds and scrupulously ensuring that the collected funds reach the intended beneficiaries.  You can also help the Sabha by contributing to these funds, for which you can contact us  or any of our Managing Committee or Mahila Shakha Committee  members. 

 The details of the schemes are as under :

 VIDYANIDHI FUND

Early initiative in this regard was the launch of the ‘Book Loan Scholarship’ Scheme under which note books were given free and text books on loan to student applicants from economically weaker sections of our community. Initially this Scheme covered students upto High School only.  Later, it was extended to degree courses also. It is recorded that the Scheme was put on a sound footing through the establishment of an Endowment Fund, mainly as a result of the efforts of our Mahila Shakha members and the services rendered by the Late Shri Bola Narasimha Kamath who helped us a lot by raising donations through his influence. 

The distribution/loan of books was discontinued and instead, the Scheme was used to give cash assistance for books and uniforms. In line with the change in nature of assistance, the ‘Book Loan Scholarship Scheme’ was re-christened as the ‘Educational Assistance Fund’ in 1991-92 and further as the ‘Vidyanidhi Fund’ in 1993-94. 

This Fund is used to disburse educational assistance to the needy members of our Community.  Assistance is given to school students from Std I to X, under-graduate and graduate college students and students pursing post graduate/professional courses.  Students from Mumbai, Thane District and Navi Mumbai are eligible to receive this assistance. The details of assistance given in 2008-2009 is as under :

Applications for assistance are received at the start of the academic year, i.e around June- July each year.  The Managing Committee scrutinizes and ensures that the applications meet the defined criteria, especially in relation to family income.  Assistance is given by issuing cheques and is usually done in July-August to coincide with the academic year start.

MAHILA SHAKHA MARRIAGE ASSISTANCE FUND

This Fund is used to give assistance to the bride’s family for conducting the marriage ceremony. This Fund is administered by the Mahila Shakha Committee who receive the applications and on approval, provide the one-time assistance. 

DESTITUTE SENIOR CITIZENS WELFARE FUND

This Fund was launched at the Gudi Padva Programme of the Sabha for the year 2005 and its targeted beneficiaries are senior citizens (completed age 60 and above) who are in need of money for their day-to-day expenses.  This Fund was launched on a suggestion made by Smt. Sanjivi Bhat, ex-President of the Sabha.Cash assistance is disbursed every quarter.  Besides, funds are also provided for one time medical treatment of senior citizens such as hospitalization etc.

Application forms are scrutinized by the Managing Committee and one or two committee members personally visit the applicant to be satisfied about the bonafides of the Applicant.

MEDICAL AID FUND

This is the latest charitable initiative of the Sabha and has been launched at the Gudi Padva programme of 2009.  A constraint was always experienced by the Managing Committee when there was an application for medical assistance, as we did not have a dedicated fund for this purpose.  In recent years, senior citizens are being helped for medical purposes from the Destitute Senior Citizens Welfare Fund.  In some other cases, we tried to help as much as possible from our general funds.  But, a need was felt to have a dedicated fund for this purpose so that we could provide assistance, on case to case basis, to all deserving applications received by us. 

With this objective in mind, on behalf of the Sabha, our President, Smt. Sudha G. Pai, launched the Medical Aid Fund during the recently held Gudi Padva programme in April 2009.  It has been decided to provide one-time assistance from this fund for hospitalization expenses. Applicants will have to provide all necessary documentary evidence such as copies of medical reports, hospital bills etc.

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