An Update

NSS, IIT Kharagpur team received an inspiring mail from Sri Subhash Chand, A. P. A., NSS Program Adviser's (P. A.) Cell, New Delhi. He was commenting on our last month's report sent to him. Sri Chand wrote, "Well done...., do convey our appreciation to all the NSS family members (Volunteers and Programmme Officers) at IIT Kharagpur." Sri P. K. Patanik, Regional Head of NSS in Eastern Zone too appreciated the effort of our young volunteers and encouraged us to go beyond the state. He said that we would get due invitation from Principal Secretary of another state and all expenses would be covered. We take this opportunity to share these messages with the community that supports us, sustains us. We know that we can and we must do much. much more and we shall try our best for the same.


NSS, IIT Kharagpur has a very cordial and working relationship with SDO, BDO, Jt. BDO, Gram Panchayet Pradhan besides the people we interact regularly on field. Our NSS team has developed the Kharagpur-I Block website at the request of BDO office and the links are now populated with the inputs provided by Jt. BDO. Once the information are all provided and included, the website will be launched and will be dedicated to the community. We are eagerly waiting for this launch. We shall be very happy to extend this service to Panchayets and other Community Service providers. Needless to say, every service offered by us to community is free. It is an honour, an opportunity and an educative experience for us.


NSS, IIT Kharagpur has arranged water filter in a few schools. We are now asked to furnish information on status of drinking water facility in all village schools where our team works to the Govt. It is requested on urgent basis.  The other support requested from us  is spreading the message of Kissan Credit Card (KCC) enrollment which concludes on 16.9. 2012.  Govt. is providing loan through banks in proportion to quantum of land held. The effective rate of interest is 4% if repaid in time, else 7%. KCC is valid for 5 years. It helps to eradicate the problem of money lending by private players who charge very high interest. Also the crops get insurance coverage if loan is taken for harvesting crops through KCC. A May 11, 2012 Reserve Bank of India (RBI) guideline to all commercial banks can be found here (Link).

The NSS team was invited to attend the KCC camp held at Gopali Gram Panchayet today. There was a brief meeting among Agricultural Development Officer (ADO) of the Block, Panchayet Pradhan and Program Coordinator, NSS IIT Kharagpur. The ADO requested support of NSS, IIT Kharagpur right from the beginning of next cultivation season (Boro paddy cultivation in West Bengal). The Pradhan was in all praise saying that we are trying sincerely and have been effective. The more we hear these, the more is our responsibility to rise to the expectation of the community and serve them to the best of our ability.

The PRERANA scholarship provided to needy but meritorious students of village schools (two in each primary school and more in high school) will have its scholarship exam.s in village schools on 06.10.2012 for Class III students. We have to prepare these students based on sample question paper provided. There is preparation for NSS Day function where villagers participate and we plan to have inter NSS unit awareness skit competition this time. There is convocation function, mid-sem. exam. in between. We are trying to make every available day and opportunity count.

It was heartening to receive a proposal from a member of our campus community to use an online training program for village schools (Link). This has been very successful elsewhere who consistently used its science and mathematics content. For this we need at class room end: One PC with Windows XP or above operating system, One USB Camera with stand, Projector system, Cordless Microphone, Audio system, UPS and Internet connectivity 512 Kbps or above. NSS team  is getting the response of the neighbourhood  schools which we are sure, will be positive. Then we need to look for fund. As mentioned in earlier post, we can offer service in kind. The grant is about Rs. 5000 per village per semester and that too is not available in time. 

We are thankful to our senior students and alumni for sponsoring the PRERANA scholarship. The sewing machine project where NSS volunteers want two swing machine to be provided to village self-help group (SHG) of women (plus training) is awaiting fund. At present these SHGs are doing mostly mid-day meal preparations in turn and not anything worthwhile. The district horticulture head has pledged support of his team to assist us in running pilot projects in each villages for kitchen garden. This, according to them, can cater to nutritional need of a poor family to a great extent. We are keen on this as the poor faces more burden in an inflationary economy with soaring vegetable price among the basket of commodities. We are waiting for fund for this too. We are thankful to our alumni office for helping us to connect.

We are happy to find that Vinod Gupta Leadership Scholarship in Agricultural & Food Engineering Dept. of IIT Kharagpur gives weight to contribution of a student in community service activity through NSS program. We are sure that such a recognition will inspire our volunteers more.

Finally, a short visit to two villages on a a Saturday where UNIT 3 of NSS IIT Kharagpur works, gave a glimpse of how our student volunteers were engaged. Here are a few pictures.