1. The Government of Japan, under its scheme “Grant Assistance for Grassroots Projects”, decided to extend grant assistance totaling US$225,308 (approximately equivalent to Rs.1 crore 20 lakh) to three Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to support their respective projects. The NGOs and projects receiving the Grants are as follows:

(i) S. M. Sehgal Foundation
has been working to improve the lives of rural people in Haryana, since its establishment in 1999. The organisation has been dedicated to creating scalable community-based models for rural development in the areas of water management, agriculture and education, but the groundwater resource has substantially declined in the project area. In order to recharge groundwater for the benefit of surrounding village communities, the construction of a check dam is indispensable. To this end, the Embassy of Japan has decided to grant them assistance of US$90,826 for the proposed project.

(ii) Purvanchal Gramin Seva Samiti
has been working to provide services in areas of education, health care and women empowerment in eastern Uttar Pradesh, since 1986. In their health care unit, they have been running a hospital and 7 satellite clinics to provide basic health care to the rural poor people and scheduled castes in eastern Uttar Pradesh. However, with the increasing number of patients, sometimes they are not able to serve all of them.

In order to provide prompt health care service for more patients, the construction of a laboratory room and medical equipments are indispensable. To this end, the Embassy of Japan has decided to grant them assistance of US$50,224 for the proposed project.

(iii) Gram Chetna Kendra
has been working to promote the overall development of communities and improve their quality of life, particularly among the low-income groups in Jaipur and Tonk districts, Rajasthan, since its establishment in 1989. In these areas, there is a big problem for youth to get employable skills. In view of the growing needs for vocational training for youth, after working in the field of basic education and women, the organisation now has a pressing requirement for construction of a new vocational center. To this end, the Embassy of Japan has decided to grant them assistance of US$84,258 for the proposed project.

2. The Signing Ceremony to formalize the arrangements took place on Friday, 22nd March 2013, at the Embassy of Japan, between H.E. Mr. Takeshi Yagi, Ambassador of Japan to India, and the respective representatives of the above NGOs.

3. For further information, please contact Mr. Shinichi HIGUCHI, First Secretary, Embassy of Japan, Telephone No.2687-6564.