Venkatachalam (Nellore), September 07: The entire venue reverberated with chants of ‘Jai Shri Ram’ as Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath arrived at the 25th Foundation Day celebration of Swarna Bharat Trust. Children welcomed him with cultural performances, and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and former Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu inaugurated the event by lighting the ceremonial lamp.
Addressing the gathering, CM Yogi said, “Foreign invasions and the colonial era weakened India's self-reliant rural system. The self-sufficiency of villages and local institutions was affected, but the soul of the villages never disappeared. Despite being in different states, Swarna Bharat Trust's Bridge School and Uttar Pradesh's Atal Awasiya Vidyalayas are connecting underprivileged children to the mainstream of education with the same vision.”
He added, “Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, our goal is to prepare a new generation that is both global and rooted, equipped with modern technology, yet with India in its heart, pride in its culture, awareness of its roots, sensitivity towards society, and a spirit of ‘Nation First’. Technology does not discriminate, and New India has connected the strength of villages with new technology.”
The CM described Venkaiah Naidu as a cultural and spiritual bridge between North and South India.
The Chief Minister congratulated all office-bearers, members, and well-wishers on the completion of 25 years of Swarna Bharat Trust. He also warmly felicitated the Trust's founder and former Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu. He stated, “Venkaiah Naidu possesses a multidimensional and highly sensitive personality. In public life, he has created a distinct identity across the country through his simplicity, humility, and ability to carry everyone along. It is rare to find such a towering personality in public life who rises above the boundaries of party and ideology, carries everyone together equally, and enjoys universal acceptance. This broad acceptance was visible in the discharge of his responsibilities as Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. His contribution has not been limited to politics. He has played an important role in taking Telugu culture, cuisine, and attire to other parts of the country.”
CM Yogi remarked, “In the year 2001, one individual began a journey of social service while being in governance, and today he is the Prime Minister of India. In the same year, another journey of social service began, which stands before us today in the form of Swarna Bharat Trust. Twenty-five years later, the destination of both journeys is the same: Viksit Bharat. When both the government and society move in the same direction, when both share the same resolve, and when both make collective efforts toward achieving the goal, results are bound to come.”
The Chief Minister said, “The greatest strength of Indian civilization has been its villages. For centuries, villages remained the centers of the economy, social life, and culture. They were centers of production, knowledge, water conservation, arts, and crafts, and also the basic units of social values. Agriculture, animal husbandry, crafts, trade, and local institutions were all interconnected. The village economy was a circular economy. The production of one became the livelihood of another. The impact of foreign invasions and the colonial era was not limited to the economy alone. Village self-reliance declined. Local institutions weakened, and the development journey of rural India suffered a setback.”
The CM further stated, “Mahatma Gandhi provided a new direction of consciousness during the freedom movement. His call was: ‘Back to Village’. Through ‘Gram Swaraj,’ he envisioned a village that was self-reliant, self-sufficient, capable of meeting its own needs, and empowered to make its own decisions. Carrying forward this vision, Venkaiah Naidu Ji started Swarna Bharat Trust in 2001 along with eight associates. From health centers to dental and eye care, from veterinary services to farmer training, from women's training to vocational education, and from computer training to schools and bridge schools, the Trust has done highly commendable work in various fields.”
The Chief Minister informed, “Through its Residential Bridge School, Swarna Bharat Trust is doing commendable work by providing education, food, books, uniforms, and accommodation facilities to children from underprivileged sections and reconnecting them to the mainstream of education. Through institutions such as Akshara School and Swarna Bharati Vidya Mandir, innovative work is also being done to provide quality education to children from rural and BPL families. Under the guidance of PM Modi, Atal Residential Schools have also been established at all 18 divisional headquarters in Uttar Pradesh for the children of workers. Children who lost their parents during the COVID pandemic are also being provided education and residential facilities in these schools. These are free residential schools where half of the seats are reserved for girls.”
CM Yogi stated, “Every district of Uttar Pradesh has some traditional skill or craft. Examples include the Banarasi saree of Varanasi, carpets of Bhadohi, brassware of Moradabad, glassware of Firozabad, perfume of Kannauj, and Chikankari of Lucknow. The artisans who have preserved these skills for generations lacked modern design, capital, and market access. Keeping this in mind, we launched the ‘One District One Product’ scheme. One major product from each district was identified, and artisans were provided design training, modern toolkits, easy bank loans, and platforms for marketing and exports.”
He added, “Under the ‘Vishwakarma Shram Samman Yojana,’ traditional artisans were given training and toolkits. As a result, their skills are reaching export markets, and Uttar Pradesh has emerged among the country's leading exporting states. We did not teach the artisan a new skill; rather, we provided a new market for his traditional skill.”
Appreciating the training arrangements being run by Swarna Bharat Trust for rural women, the Chief Minister remarked, “Separate accommodation facilities have also been provided for women. Unless the system is secure, families do not send their daughters outside. In Uttar Pradesh, through ‘Mission Shakti,’ women were trained as ‘BC Sakhis.’ They were connected with banking services through training and digital devices. Now elderly people and others in villages are receiving banking services at their doorstep, and this work is being carried out by the daughters of the same villages. They are also earning a good income. For cow protection, more than 7,700 cow shelters have been established in Uttar Pradesh. Farmers who take care of destitute cattle are being provided Rs 1,500 per month per animal by the state government.”
CM Yogi said, “Uttar Pradesh, with a population of around 25 crore, is the most populous state in the country. In eastern Uttar Pradesh, encephalitis, or brain fever, once caused thousands of deaths every year from mid-July to mid-November. While serving as the MP from Gorakhpur, he continuously raised his voice and led movements against this problem, but a solution could not be found. After the formation of the government at the Centre under PM Modi's leadership, the Swachh Bharat Mission was launched. Venkaiah Naidu Ji was an important member of that Cabinet. With the goal of ‘Har Ghar Shauchalaya,’ the ‘Dastak Abhiyan’ was carried out across Uttar Pradesh to spread awareness door-to-door. As a result, success was achieved in completely controlling and eliminating encephalitis, which had claimed thousands of lives over decades.”
The Chief Minister stated, “Today is the age of technology, and the greatest quality of technology is that it does not discriminate. Through the effective use of technology, the Prime Minister has given new momentum to women's empowerment and rural empowerment. Through Jan Dhan accounts and DBT, the benefits of government schemes are reaching beneficiaries directly, ensuring that the benefits reach the person standing at the last mile. Today, around 60 crore Indians are benefiting from Jan Dhan accounts, and crores of families are gaining from financial inclusion. India is showing the way to the entire world in digital transactions. Shopkeepers, women, and annadata farmers are all benefiting from this. The benefits of government schemes are reaching poor families, who are receiving government assistance for permanent houses without any intermediaries.”
The event was attended by Trust founder and former Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu, Andhra Pradesh Minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development P. Narayana, Andhra Pradesh Minister for Health and Medical Education Y. Satya Kumar Yadav, BJP Andhra Pradesh President P.B.N. Madhav, Rajya Sabha MP Beeda Masthan Rao, Swarna Bharat Trust Chairman Dr. Kamineni Srinivas, Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly MLA Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy, Swarna Bharat Trust Managing Trustee Deepa Venkat, Pushpa Barpu Foundation Managing Trustee M. Harshavardhan, and others.
