For release : March 24, 2004. Sehgal Foundation Releases 2003 Annual Report. Rs 56.25 Crore Development Grants to Date Gurgaon, India- March 24, 2004. The Sehgal Foundation released its 2003 Annual Report today to journalists at the India International Center in New Delhi. This past year marked the Foundation’s second year of field operations in India. Those operations cover sustainable development programs for Water Management, Rural Health, Income Enhancement, and Family Life Education. Since 1999, grants from the Sehgal Foundation for sustainable development activities totaled Rs 56.25 crore, including nearly Rs 40 crore for activities in India. In 2003, the Foundation expenses to cover its own program activities were Rs 1.23 crore. The Sehgal Foundation’s four key programs currently target sustainable development in rural Gurgaon. Outside of India, the Foundation also supports research on biodiversity and ecology. The goal of the Foundation in India is to improve the overall well-being of villagers through grassroots activities. All activities are planned and executed in collaboration with local Panchayats, and include the development of a Gram Vikas Sanstha to ensure sustainability. The Foundation is currently active in 3 focus villages, as well as several other neighboring communities. The Foundation’s work in a fourth village is carried out in collaboration with a partner NGO. According to Dr. Suri Sehgal, founder and Chairman of the Sehgal Foundation, “In 2003 we were able to see the concrete results of the programs we are supporting in rural Gurgaon. A major water management project in the Aravali hills is leading to an increase in ground water levels. Family Life Education is helping to overcome gender barriers to development, and farmers are being guided in the use of best agricultural practices. We have also made a start towards revitalization of the village healthcare infrastructure.” In 2003 the Foundation made a second endowment of US $ 1 million to ICRISAT (International Crop Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics) in Hyderabad to support research on bajra and and jowar. Last year the Foundation also financed the completion of check dams in Rangala Rajpur and in Ghaghas, with contributions from the community in cash and in kind. The Ghaghas dam is part of a comprehensive ridge-to-valley water management program. Dr Sehgal added, “More than 50 years ago, India’s tryst with destiny was announced to a new nation. Despite immense progress in matters of health, education and general welfare, we are still not making the impact we would like. If we are to be a developed nation by 2020, we must re-double our efforts towards meeting this goal”. By 2007 the Sehgal Foundation expects to be active in 40 villages in rural Gurgaon and elsewhere. This year construction will begin on a new training institution to ensure capacity building of local village staff to support this expansion. The Sehgal Family Foundation, USA, was created to support development projects, and for plant conservation and ecology works elsewhere. In India, The Sehgal Foundation supports a variety of programs designed to promote sustainable development at the village level. The Foundation’s chairman, Dr. Suri Sehgal is a distinguished international agriculturalist, and is founder and past-Chairman of the Proagro Group of Companies, India.
For further information please contact: Sehgal Foundation
For Editors: R.
Jay Sehgal,
Executive Director and program leader Information Technology holds a degree
in Management Information Systems from the University of Iowa, USA. He
worked as a Senior Programmer Analyst in the USA in a leading private
sector company prior to joining Proagro Seed Company Ltd., India, as the
Director of Information Technology. He has sixteen years of experience
in IT. |