NEW DELHI: The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, has commended Tata Trusts for its work on assisting communities to adopt the Swachh Bharat Mission. At a ceremony in New Delhi yesterday, Tata Trusts received the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation’s award for outstanding support to the implementation of the programme.
Commending Tata Trusts, the Prime Minister commented, through his official Twitter handle, “Their Prerak initiative of a young professional in each district to support SBM is praiseworthy.”
Called Zilla Swachh Bharat Prerak, these 600 young professionals, trained by Tata Trusts, have been placed in the country’s districts. They assist the head of the district administration in the implementation of the Swachh Bharat Mission (Rural). Their focus is on providing technical and management support to make strides towards their respective areas becoming Open Defecation Free (ODF).
Celebrating its 125th anniversary this year, Tata Trusts is amongst India’s oldest, non-sectarian philanthropic organisations that work in several areas of community development. Since its inception, Tata Trusts has played a pioneering role in transforming traditional ideas of philanthropy to make impactful sustainable change in the lives of the communities served.
Through direct implementation, co-partnership strategies and grant making, the Trusts support and drive innovation in the areas of education; healthcare and nutrition; rural livelihoods; natural resources management; enhancing civil society and governance and media, arts, crafts and culture.
Tata Trusts continue to be guided by the principles of its Founder, Jamsetji Tata and through his vision of proactive philanthropy; the Trusts catalyse societal development while ensuring that initiatives and interventions have a contemporary relevance to the nation.