The inmates of Bal Niketan in Kedarpuram area of Dehradun got a surprise on Deepawali night when Chief Minister Harish Rawat landed among them. The CM left for Kedarpuram with his two vehicles without the traffic being stopped for him on Wednesday.
The CM stopped in the Dharmpur bazaar from where he bought eatables, fruits, crackers, candles and other items. He reached the Bal Niketan with these items and greeted the children there on the occasion of Deepawali with sweets.
Rawat also distributed the chocolates he had bought for the kids. He interacted with the children talking to them about their likes while the children sang a song for the CM. Rawat directed the Social Welfare secretary Bhupinder Kaur Aulakh to conduct vocational activity training programme for the children here.
He also said that the children should be trained in activities which prove useful to them in the future for earning their livelihood. He also directed that a sports ground be developed to enable the children of Bal Niketan to play.
The CM then visited the Nari Niketan where he saw the paper plates and incense sticks made by the mentally affected inmates.
He also directed the Social Welfare secretary to facilitate this work with increased adeptness along with facilitating a market for the items made by the inmates at Nari Niketan.
The CM met the other women at Nari Niketan and greeting them on Deepawali, distributed sweets and fruits. The women sang bhajans for the CM and some of them also displayed Yoga with the CM also participating.
Rawat directed officials to ensure better sanitation at the Nari Niketan while also starting a training programme to link the women with self employment. Rawat then went to Sapera Basti in Nanurkheda, Raipur where he also heard the complaints of the residents and issued necessary instructions for their redressal.
The locals complained of inconvenience due to absence of a ration shop in the area. Responding to this, the CM directed principal secretary, Food and Civil Supply, Radha Raturi to set up a ration shop in the area soon.
He told officials to organise a multi-purpose camp in the area to make pension and other certificates for eligible persons. A scheme should be prepared for snake-charmers who have discontinued their traditional profession.
The CM then visited the Bal Vanita Ashram at Tilak Road on Wednesday evening distributing sweets, fruits and crackers to the children there.