Gujaratis settled outside India and looking to donate for development works in their native villages will now get 40 per cent financial support from the Gujarat government.
Under the newly launched ‘Vatan Prem Yojana’, the Gujarat government encourages donations from non-resident Indians (NRIs) with Gujarati origins to fund development projects such as school classroom renovations, public infrastructure works such as surveillance systems, drainage, water recycling, sports complex among others.
Funding from NRIs
A State government statement said, “Donors with Gujarati origins can provide funding of minimum 60 per cent or more for such projects in their native village. And the balance up to 40 per cent will be provided by the State government. Under this scheme, the State government looks to create development projects worth ₹1000 crore by December 2022.”
The announcement came after the first meeting of the governing board for the Vatan Prem Yojana on Saturday under the chairmanship of Gujarat Chief Minister, Vijay Rupani.
“The objective of the scheme is to encourage people with Gujarati origins living in different parts of the world to join the development projects at their native places for public welfare,” said the statement.
Priority to classrooms
Rupani has asked to accord priority to the construction of school classrooms in villages under this scheme. The respective departments have been asked to upload details on the scheme’s web portal regarding the requirements of classrooms in each school. Such classrooms should be built with the combined funding from the State and the donors, he said.
Besides the Chief Minister as the chairperson, the governing body includes Minister of State for Rural development as the deputy chairman and the members include additional chief secretary of panchayat department and finance department, secretaries of water supply department, rural development, road and building department, science and technology and the chairman of the Non-Resident Gujarati Foundation (NRG Foundation). The Gujarat Government’s development commissioner is appointed as the Member Secretary of the body. Two rural development experts from the civil society are also the invitees on the body.