Relief Services : A Brief Report as on 1 July 2021

As India is reeling from the devastating effects of the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission continued to bring succour to the millions of affected people. Details of the relief operations conducted by the headquarters along with 65 of its branch centres spread over 18 states/union territories in India are given below.  Also included are the details of our relief work in 4 other countries.

Kadapa centre distributed 800 kg rice, 500 kg flour, 200 kg pulses, 100 litres cooking oil, 50 kg finger millet, 15 kg assorted spices, 7 kg pickles and 50 kg tamarind among 100 priests and school teachers in Kadapa district in June.

Vijayawada centre distributed 50 kg wheat, 50 kg ragi (finger millet), 48 kg jaggery, 50 litres cooking oil, 100 kg pulses and 50 kg semolina among 50 poor families in Sitanagaram of Guntur district on 29 May.

Visakhapatnam centre distributed every day 200 packets of biscuits among the doctors and nurses at a government hospital in June. The centre also served 3762 plates of cooked food to the Covid patients quarantined at home and to the poor from 6 to 20 June and distributed 120 grocery kits among needy school teachers and healthcare workers.  Further, the centre provided provisions for three months to one family facing financial hardships.

Aalo centre conducted an awareness camp on 15 June.

Dibrugarh centre distributed 1515 kg rice, 596 kg flour, 606 kg pulses, 303 litres cooking oil, 149 kg soya chunks, 1582 kg potatoes, 791 kg onions, 120 kg assorted spices, 298 kg salt, 303 packets of biscuits, 30 kg milk powder and 918 bars of soap among 305 families of Dibrugarh district between 29 May and 9 June.

Guwahati centre distributed 750 kg rice, 310 kg pulses, 21 kg soya chunks, 76 kg cooking oil, 83 kg salt, 105 litres milk, 50 litres fruit juice, 428 packets of biscuits, 1291 hand sanitizer bottles, 1230 face masks, 710 bars of bathing soap, 203 kg detergent powder, 50 lungis and 50 umbrellas among 718 poor people between 10 May and 17 June.

Karimganj centre distributed 2061 kg rice, 2700 kg pulses, 1105 kg soya chunks, 8040 kg potatoes, 2473 kg onions, 1321 litres cooking oil, 2725 kg salt, 718 kg assorted spices, 264 kg milk powder, 600 kg sugar, 125 kg tea leaves, 2765 packets of biscuits, 194 kg detergent powder, 5184 bars of soap and 10,000 face masks among 2765 families in Karimganj district from 2 to 15 June.

Silchar centre distributed 3200 kg flour, 1600 litres cooking oil, 3200 kg pulses, 800 kg soya chunks, 1600 kg salt, 640 kg milk powder, 3200 packets of biscuits, 6000 bars of soap and 6400 face masks among 3200 families in Cachar district from 16 to 26 June.

Patna centre distributed 1500 kg rice, 300 kg pulses, 150 litres cooking oil, 150 kg salt, 300 mosquito nets and 300 saris among 900 needy families of Patna district from 8 to 24 June.

Porbandar centre distributed 540 kg rice, 810 kg flour, 1050 kg bajra (pearl millet), 390 litres cooking oil, 390 kg sugar, 390 kg pulses, 270 kg salt, 98 kg tea powder, 240 packets of biscuits, 240 bars of bathing soap, 240 bars of washing soap, 120 tubes of toothpaste, 120 toothbrushes and 120 tongue cleaners in Covid-affected areas of Porbandar city in May and June.

Rajkot centre distributed 372 kg rice, 124 kg pulses, 620 kg flour, 124 litres cooking oil, 124 kg salt, 124 kg sugar, 31 kg assorted spices, 124 kg tea powder and 124 bars of soap among poor families in Rajkot and Kutch districts from 25 May to 24 June. The centre also served 335 plates of cooked food to Covid patients in a hospital at Kim town of Surat district from 24 to 31 May.

Vadodara centre distributed 800 food packets, 200 textbooks, 800 notebooks, 200 crayon boxes, 800 pencils, 200 pencil sharpeners, 200 erasers and 200 scales to poor people and needy students in 5 villages of Vadodara district on 17 June.

Jammu centre distributed 750 kg rice, 2000 kg flour, 400 kg rajma (kidney bean), 800 kg pulses, 400 kg salt, 400 litres cooking oil, 280 kg assorted spices, 2000 kg potatoes, 1600 kg onions, 800 bars of washing soap and 800 bars of bathing soap among 400 families in Jammu district from 28 May to 20 June.

Jamshedpur centre opened a vaccination centre at Sidhgora in which 4000 people received vaccination doses from 18 to 21 May.

Basavanagudi Math, Bengaluru, served 1510 packets of cooked food in Bengaluru from 24 May to 14 June. The centre also distributed 4800 kg rice, 1050 flour, 1080 kg rice flakes, 1050 kg pulses, 530 litres cooking oil, 550 kg salt, 1050 kg sugar and 110 kg chilli powder among 520 families in Bengaluru district between 1 to 20 June.

Belagavi centre distributed 1040 kg pulses, 1040 kg sugar, 1040 kg semolina, 2600 kg flour, 1040 litres of cooking oil, 80 kg rice flakes, 2600 kg sorghum (jawar), 40 kg chilli powder, 130 kg tea powder, 2020 bars of bathing soap, 2080 bars of washing soap, 8 oxygen concentrators, 659 battery cells and 760 vitamin tablets among 769 families from 19 May to 28 June. The centre also distributed 308 pulse oximeters from 13 May to 9 June.

Davanagere centre distributed 500 kg rice, 200 kg rice flakes, 125 kg pulses, 150 litres cooking oil, 300 kg flour, 200 kg semolina, 100 kg salt, 55 kg assorted spices, 150 packets of biscuits, 100 kg sugar, 50 kg jaggery, 20 kg tea powder, 150 bars of bathing soap, 150 bars of washing soap and 100 tubes of toothpaste among 100 needy families in Davanagere from 26 May to 5 June.

Shivanahalli centre distributed 24,000 kg rice, 9000 kg flour, 20,000 kg ragi flour, 8000 kg pulses, 4110 litres cooking oil, 6000 kg potatoes, 7000 kg onions, 8000 kg sugar, 1200 kg assorted spices, 4110 bars of soap among 4110 families in Anekal taluk of Bengaluru Urban district in June. The centre also distributed 30 pulse oximeters, 20 steamers and 300 medicine kits to Covid patients in June.

Haripad centre distributed 1710 kg rice, 341 kg pulses, 339 litres cooking oil, 338 kg green gram, 339 kg salt, 340 kg sugar, 340 kg potatoes, 340 kg onions, 243 kg black chickpeas, 85 kg tea leaves, 20 hand sanitizer bottles, 20 lungis and 20 bed-sheets among 359 needy families in Alappuzha district from 22 May to 24 June.

Kayamkulam centre started a Covid care centre at its students’ hostel and treated 500 patients in June.

Kozhikode centre distributed 1500 kg rice, 600 kg flour, 150 kg cooking oil, 300 kg semolina, 150 kg rice powder, 150 kg black gram, 300 packets of papad, 300 kg pulses, 600 kg onions, 300 kg potatoes, 180 kg assorted spices, 300 kg salt, 75 kg tea powder, 60 kg milk powder, 300 kg sugar, 900 packets of biscuits, 600 bars of washing soap, 600 bars of bathing soap and 1500 face masks among 300 financially backward families in Kozhikode in May.

Pala centre distributed 4080 kg rice, 56 kg green gram, 760 kg red cowpeas, 816 kg sugar, 816 litres cooking oil, 236 kg semolina and 580 kg rice flour among 816 needy families from 14 May to 18 June.

Thiruvananthapuram centre is running a vaccination centre where 2584 doses of vaccine were administered from 24 May to 19 June. In the Covid-testing facility at the centre’s hospital, 12,564 Rapid Antigen tests and 7404 RT-PCR tests were done from 1 January to 28 June.  Also, the centre provided treatment to 155 Covid patients at its hospital till 28 June.

Thrissur centre distributed 900 kg rice, 280 kg pulses, 50 kg flour, 290 litres cooking oil, 170 kg sugar, 5 kg meal maker and 200 bottles of hand wash among 190 families of Thrissur district from 17 May to 15 June.

Indore centre distributed 1500 kg rice, 3000 kg flour, 600 kg pulses, 300 litres cooking oil and 1500 kg sugar among poor families in Indore including those of auto-rickshaw drivers in June.

Aurangabad centre distributed 881 food packets from 15 May to 5 June.

Mumbai centre is running a free Covid-testing facility where 75 patients are tested daily on average and a free vaccination centre in which 3116 doses were administered between 25 May and 28 June.

Sohra (Cherrapunjee) centre distributed 2,65,300 kg rice and 53,060 kg pulses among 10,612 families in East Khasi Hills, West Khasi Hills, East Jaintia Hills, West Jaintia Hills and South West Khasi Hills districts from 19 May to 26 June.

New Delhi centre served 24,805 plates of cooked food and supplied 100 face masks, 100 PPE kits and medicine to 4 Covid Care Centres in Aram Bagh, Lajpat Nagar, Sarojini Nagar and Mehrauli areas of Delhi. The centre also distributed five 10-litre oxygen concentrators to two institutions providing Covid care.

Bhubaneswar centre distributed 6000 kg rice, 2400 kg pulses, 3000 kg potatoes, 1800 kg onions, 600 litres cooking oil, 1200 kg salt and 2400 bars of soap among 600 families in Khurda district on 1 June.

Cuttack centre distributed 500 kg rice, 100 kg pulses, 400 kg potatoes, 110 kg onions, 54 litres cooking oil, 110 kg salt, 10 kg assorted spices, 110 packets of biscuits, 110 face masks and 110 drinking water bottles among 110 poor families in Cuttack district on 10 June.

Puri Mission centre distributed 2500 kg rice, 1000 kg flour, 500 kg pulses, 100 kg soya chunks, 1000 kg potatoes, 500 kg onions, 500 litres cooking oil, 500 kg salt, 500 packets of biscuits and 1000 bars of bathing soap among 500 poor families in Puri from 9 to 19 June.

Chengalpattu centre, along with Chennai Math, gave 50 pulse oximeters, 50 digital thermometers, a wheelchair and a stretcher to a hospital in Chengalpattu, and distributed 1000 bars of soap, 1000 hand sanitizer bottles, 1000 packets of an immunity booster mixture and 5000 face masks among Covid patients in Chengalpattu district.

Chennai Math served 12,300 plates of cooked food in various parts of Chennai and Thiruvallur districts, and distributed 13,989 kg rice, 9846 kg pulses, 5439 litres cooking oil, 4070 kg sugar, 1507 kg assorted spices, 128 kg tea leaves, 6498 packets of biscuits and 371 bars of soap among 5929 families in Chennai, Kanchipuram, Kanyakumari, Thiruvarur and Ramanathapuram districts from 1 to 21 June.

Chennai Math and Chennai Students’ Home jointly distributed 429 Covid-care kits (each kit containing a pulse oximeter, a vaporizer, a digital thermometer, face masks, a hand sanitizer bottle, a bar of soap, packets of immunity booster mixtures and tablets) to Covid patients from 1 to 20 June. Further, 147 vapour inhalers and 147 steel flasks were distributed among Covid frontline workers in several hospitals in Chennai from 1 to 20 June.

Coimbatore Math served 2800 plates of cooked food to sanitary workers and health workers in Kavundampalayam from 2 to 26 June and distributed 3250 kg rice, 650 kg pulses, 325 kg cooking oil, 325 kg salt, 650 kg sugar, 163 kg tamarind and 195 kg assorted spices among 325 needy families in Kavundampalayam and Veerapandi of Coimbatore district from 18 to 25 June.

Coimbatore Mission centre served 7065 packets of cooked food and distributed 9125 kg rice, 6660 kg flour, 3381 kg pulses, 3334 litres cooking oil, 1506 kg gram, 3000 kg semolina, 113 kg assorted spices and 76 kg biscuits among 3334 poor families in Coimbatore, Nilgiris, Pollachi and Dharmapuri districts from 12 May to 26 June. The centre also distributed immunity-boosting homeopathy medicine among 13,872 people in Tamil Nadu.  Also, the centre set up a 300-bed isolation centre for asymptomatic Covid patients in which 520 patients have been treated till now.

Kanchipuram centre distributed 2100 kg rice, 220 kg flour, 370 kg pulses, 185 litres cooking oil, 135 kg assorted spices, 46 kg tamarind, 185 kg sugar, 185 kg semolina, 72 packets of biscuits and 300 bars of bathing soap among 210 poor families in Kanchipuram district from 12 to 21 June.

Madurai centre served 40,000 plates of cooked food and distributed 4028 kg flour, 4028 kg semolina, 6042 kg pulses, 2014 kg black gram, 2014 kg gram, 403 kg assorted spices, 2014 litres cooking oil, 2014 kg salt and 2014 packets of biscuits among 2014 poor families in Madurai from 25 May to 13 June.

Malliankaranai centre distributed 2800 kg pulses, 800 litres cooking oil, 1600 kg sugar, 800 kg vermicelli, 800 kg semolina, 800 kg salt, 320 kg assorted spices, 800 bars of bathing soap, 1600 bars of washing soap and 800 tubes of toothpaste among 800 families in Kanchipuram district from 1 to 10 June.

Nattarampalli centre distributed 61,185 kg rice, 4148 kg pulses, 1000 kg flour, 1000 kg semolina, 2574 litres cooking oil, 3148 kg salt, 786 kg tamarind, 630 kg assorted spices and 6948 packets of biscuits among 4148 families from 29 May to 21 June.

Ootacamund centre distributed 10,000 kg rice, 1700 kg flour, 2400 kg pulses, 1700 litres cooking oil, 245 kg assorted spices, 1700 kg semolina, 700 kg sugar, 700 kg beans, 140 kg vermicelli, 7 kg tea powder, 350 kg rusk, 700 bars of bathing soap, 700 bars of washing soap and 700 tubes of toothpaste among 1700 families in Nilgiris district from 25 May to 26 June. The centre also served cooked food to 9888 home-quarantined people and beggars from 31 May to 14 June.

Salem centre served 14,600 packets of cooked food to 50 sanitary workers of Salem Corporation and to health workers and patients’ attendants at a government hospital in Salem from 1 to 30 June. The centre also handed over 70 cots (with all accessories like mattresses, pillows, pillow covers and bedspreads) to a hospital in Salem on 7 and 9 June.

Thanjavur Math (a sub-centre of Chennai Math) distributed 27,200 kg rice, 4150 kg flour, 2700 litres cooking oil, 6650 kg pulses, 5000 kg semolina, 850 kg Bengal gram, 850 kg green gram, 300 kg health mix, 100 kg red chickpeas, 50 kg milk powder, 50 kg dates, 10 kg biscuits, 4007 kg assorted spices, 5000 kg salt, 5000 packets of asafoetida, 2500 kg tamarind, 4800 kg jaggery, 338 kg tea powder, 9900 packets of coffee powder, 1434 kg vermicelli and assorted fruits, and the following items for worship in the temples: 200 kg Abhisheka powder, 110 kg honey, 50 kg kumkum, 20 kg camphor, 20 kg benzoin, 2000 packets of incense sticks, 400 litres rose water, 100 kg candy, 20 kg vibhuti, 2000 sacred threads, 20 kg sandal paste, 100 kg ghee, 50 kg cashew nuts, 100 kg raisins and 10 kg cardamom among 5000 families which included temple priests and flower sellers in Thanjavur and Mayiladuthurai districts from 30 May to 27 June.

Dhaleswar centre, Agartala, distributed 1200 kg rice, 600 kg pulses, 120 kg soya chunks, 12 kg assorted spices, 120 litres cooking oil, 600 kg onions, 600 kg potatoes, 240 kg salt, 120 litres milk, 12 kg tea leaves, 120 packets of biscuits, 4800 multivitamin capsules, 360 bars of soap and 120 dhotis among 120 families in Dhaleswar, Majlishpur and Narasingarh villages of West Tripura district from 6 to 20 June.

Kailashahar centre distributed 275 kg rice, 60 kg pulses, 26 kg soya chunks, 210 kg potatoes, 210 packets of biscuits, 101 litres cooking oil, 210 bars of bathing soap, 105 bars of washing soap, 105 tubes of toothpaste and 420 face masks among 105 needy families of Unakoti district in Kanpur in June.

Viveknagar centre, Agartala, served 2133 packets of cooked food to footpath dwellers from 12 May to 24 June and distributed 2550 kg rice, 510 kg rice flakes, 510 kg pulses, 510 kg soya chunks, 51 kg turmeric powder, 510 kg salt, 510 kg sugar, 102 kg milk powder and 51 kg tea leaves among the poor in Agartala. The centre also took up a project of sanitizing the local market area at Amtali jointly with the Agartala Municipal Corporation.

Kanpur centre distributed 300 kg rice, 300 kg flour, 120 kg pulses, 15 kg soya chunks, 30 kg assorted spices, 60 kg salt, 60 litres cooking oil, 60 packets of biscuits, 6 kg tea powder, 60 kg sugar, 60 tubes of toothpaste, 60 bars of bathing soap and 60 kg detergent powder among the poor in June.

Prayagraj centre distributed 1250 kg rice, 500 kg pulses, 2500 kg flour, 250 litres cooking oil, 250 kg soya chunks and 250 kg salt among 250 families at Kydganj area in Prayagraj on 2 June.

Varanasi Home of Service is running a vaccination centre where 2865 persons were vaccinated during the period from 14 to 26 June.

Bolpur centre provided 4100 food packets to Covid patients quarantined at home. The centre is maintaining an oxygen bank with 14 cylinders and flow meters.  The centre also lent an ambulance and four oxygen cylinders to the Bolpur Municipality for its use in fighting the pandemic.  Further, the centre distributed 500 masks and 2000 hand sanitiser sachets among villagers in Kopai and arranged a modest safe home to accommodate the volunteers infected with Covid.

Cooch Behar centre served 3850 plates of cooked food to 955 poor families in Madhu Tea Garden of Alipurduar district from 30 May 17 June from 30 May to 17 June.

Darjeeling centre distributed 6320 kg rice, 182 kg flour, 91 kg sattu, 91 kg rice flakes, 1473 kg pulses, 391 kg soya chunks, 400 kg potatoes, 200 kg onions, 191 kg assorted spices, 757 kg salt, 786 litres cooking oil, 691 kg sugar, 59 kg tea leaves, 24 litres milk, 60 kg milk powder, 894 packets of biscuits, 300 packets of noodles, 932 bars of bathing soap and 610 bars of washing soap among 782 families of 24 villages in Darjeeling, Naxalbari and Siliguri Commissionerate from 1 April to 20 June.

Headquarters, Belur Math, distributed 16,350 kg rice, 16,350 kg flour, 6540 kg pulses, 3271 kg soya chunks, 16,350 kg potatoes, 6540 kg onions, 740 kg assorted spices, 3270 kg salt, 3270 litres cooking oil, 6540 kg sugar, 6540 bars of soap, 3270 kg washing powder and 13,080 face masks among 3270 families in Howrah district from 1 to 16 June.

Jalpaiguri centre distributed 170 kg Bengal gram, 85 kg rajma, 68 kg soya chunks, 85 litres cooking oil, 170 kg salt, 170 biscuit packets, 24 kg chikki and 340 bars of bathing soap among 170 poor families in Jalpaiguri district on 11 and 13 June.

Jayrambati centre distributed 200 kg pulses, 100 litres cooking oil, 30 kg assorted spices, 100 bars of bathing soap, 100 bottles of hair oil, 100 bars of washing soap, 100 kg detergent powder, 100 saris, 100 napkins and 100 face masks among 100 poor families in nearby villages of Jayrambati on 20 June.

Jhargram centre served 2559 plates of cooked food to Covid patients in home isolation, and distributed 610 kg rice, 402 kg flour, 410 kg pulses, 211 kg soya chunks, 210 litres cooking oil, 120 kg assorted spices, 201 kg salt, 410 kg sugar, 20 kg tea leaves, 210 packets of biscuits, 5 kg puffed rice, 400 bars of bathing soap, 300 face masks, 300 face shields, 15 litres hand sanitizer, 10 mosquito nets, 85 saris and 309 lungis among 330 families of Jhargram district from 1 to 20 June.

Kamarpukur centre served 6771 plates of cooked food, and distributed 500 face masks and 500 hand sanitizer bottles among the villagers in and around Kamarpukur from 21 April to 21 June.

Kathamrita Bhavan, Kolkata, distributed 1230 kg rice, 400 kg flour, 400 kg pulses, 100 kg soya chunks, 800 kg potatoes, 383 kg onions and 205 litres cooking oil among 412 families in Kolkata from 18 to 20 June.

Malda centre served 1230 plates of cooked food and distributed 2520 kg rice, 252 kg pulses, 252 kg soya chunks, 141 litres cooking oil, 504 kg salt, 1512 face masks, 504 bars of soap, 489 lungis, 489 saris and 489 mosquito nets among poor families in Malda district from 31 May to 28 June.

Mekhliganj centre distributed 1134 kg rice, 189 kg pulses, 38 kg soya chunks, 1134 kg potatoes, 189 kg cooking oil, 76 kg assorted spices, 378 kg salt, 378 packets of biscuits, 189 kg sugar, 38 kg tea powder, 378 bars of bathing soap, 57 kg washing powder and 378 face masks among 378 poor families in Kuchlibari area of Cooch Behar district between 23 May and 18 June.

Nabadwip centre served 6000 plates of cooked food and fruits among needy people in Nabadwip and Bablari areas in Nadia district from 1 to 30 June.

Rahara centre distributed 3900 kg rice, 1560 kg flour, 2340 kg pulses, 780 kg gram, 312 kg soya chunks, 3900 kg potatoes, 780 litres cooking oil, 780 kg salt, 1560 packets of biscuits, 390 kg baby food, 780 towels, 1560 bars of bathing soap, 780 bottles of hair oil, 3120 face masks and 780 hand sanitizer bottles among 780 families in North 24 Parganas district from 1 to 13 June.

Rajarhat Bishnupur centre served 1200 plates of cooked food and distributed 125 kg rice flakes, 100 kg puffed rice, 63 kg sattu, 125 kg soya chunks, 250 packets of biscuits and 125 kg sugar among 250 poor families in the centre’s neighbourhood from 4 to 26 June.

Saradapitha, Belur, is running a Covid safe home where 13 patients have been treated till date.

Sarisha centre served 39,500 plates of cooked food among 2104 families in Diamond Harbour II block of South 24 Parganas district and distributed 4600 face masks, 2050 bars of soap and 1200 hand sanitizer bottles among the poor in June.

Sikra-Kulingram centre distributed 500 kg rice, 350 kg rice flakes, 210 kg pulses, 100 kg soya chunks, 84 litres cooking oil, 500 packets of noodles, 210 kg salt, 69 kg assorted spices, 210 kg sugar and 400 bars of hand wash soap among 405 needy people in Sikra-Kulingram from 5 to 20 June.

Bagerhat centre distributed 1080 kg rice, 108 kg pulses, 216 kg potatoes, 108 kg salt and 108 litres of cooking oil among 216 poor families in Khulna district on 19 June.

Fiji centre distributed 2020 kg rice, 1020 kg flour, 400 kg split peas, 160 litres cooking oil, 202 kg salt, 2 kg cereal biscuits, 4 kg noodles, 20 kg tea leaves, 90 kg milk powder, 20 kg sugar, 120 bars of bathing soap, 1000 face masks, 11 sanitary pads, 4 walkers, 9 dual crutches, 5 hospital beds with mattresses, 6 wheelchairs, 1 rollator and 300 T-shirts & shorts in and around Nadi in May and June.

Durban centre, along with its sub-centres, served meals to 2800 people in Durban, Ladysmith, Pietermaritzburg and Etete, and distributed food hampers to 802 families in June. Each hamper contained 2 kg rice, 1 kg pulses, 1 kg sugar beans, 500 gm macaroni, 100 gm assorted spices, 750 ml cooking oil, 1 kg sugar, 1 litre milk, 100 tea bags, 1 packet of soup powder, 1 kg maize meal, 1 kg salt, 520 gm jam, washing soap, bathing soap and toothpaste tubes.  Also, the centre distributed 120 loaves of bread in Pietermaritzburg.

Phoenix centre, along with its Johannesburg sub-centre, distributed 1800 kg rice, 220 kg maize meal, 210 kg fortified cereals, 1100 kg pulses, 75 kg noodles, 80 kg assorted spices, 270 kg salt, 735 litres cooking oil, 440 cans of tinned food, 40 kg soup powder, 28,000 tea bags, 320 litres milk, 270 kg sugar, 50 kg pasta, 4480 nutrient-fortified breakfast cereal sachets, 150 breakfast cakes, 136 packets of snacks, 440 matchboxes, 2770 kg assorted vegetables, 220 tubes of toothpaste, 640 bars of soap, 504 adult napkins, 1750 litres detergent, 40 litres hand sanitizer, 40 litres liquid soap, 2000 face masks, 568 assorted clothes, 65 pairs of shoes and 30 toys in June. The centre also provided a litre of milk and a loaf of bread each to 14 families thrice a week and LP gas cylinders to 13 families.  The centre distributed 2600 scales to indigent school students.  Further, the centre’s clinic sponsored 44 dialysis sessions for five patients, held 2082 primary health consultations, provided 40 counselling sessions to healthcare professionals and workers, and donated a wheelchair to a destitute patient.

Colombo centre distributed 2986 kg rice, 1520 kg flour, 467 kg pulses, 64 kg soya chunks, 120 kg potatoes, 140 kg onions, 43 kg salt, 21 kg assorted spices, 164 coconuts, 46 kg noodles, 59 kg nutritious malt mix, 71 kg milk powder, 751 kg sugar, 70 packets of biscuits, 214 kg tea powder, 462 packets of detergent, 498 bars of soap, 50 tubes of toothpaste and 20 packets of sanitary papers among 449 affected families in eight villages in June. The sub-centre in Batticaloa distributed 3750 kg rice, 1500 kg flour, 750 kg sugar, 750 kg pulses, 1500 face masks, 70 bars of washing soap and 750 packets of nutrient powder among 750 poor families in Ampara and Batticaloa districts on 12 and 29 June.

The extremely severe cyclone Yaas made its landfall over the Odisha coast on 26 May near Balasore and left a trail of destruction in many parts of Odisha and West Bengal. The cyclone rendered thousands of people homeless and caused inundation in several areas.  In response to the disaster, several branches of the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission immediately started relief work.  Details of the relief operations carried out are as follows:

Bhubaneswar centre distributed 200 tarpaulins, 180 saris, 180 lungis, 180 towels and 360 bars of soap among 200 affected families in Barakeyari village of Bhadrak district on 17 June.

Kothar centre distributed 13,000 kg rice, 6500 kg rice flakes, 1300 kg pulses, 6500 kg potatoes, 1300 litres cooking oil, 650 kg molasses, 1300 kg salt, 780 kg assorted spices, 3250 kg onions, 650 kg garlic, 650 kg ginger, 2600 packets of biscuits, 1300 matchboxes, 1300 candlesticks and 200 tarpaulins among 1300 families in Bhadrak district from 28 May to 2 June.

Balaram Mandir centre distributed 200 kg rice, 200 kg flour, 40 kg milk powder, 200 packets of biscuits, 100 packets of cake, 100 bars of soap, 50 kg detergent powder, 100 tubes of antiseptic cream, 100 bottles of antiseptic liquid, 100 saris and 100 dhotis among 400 needy families at Banashyam Nagar village of Patharpratima block in South 24 Parganas district on 12 June.

Belgharia centre served 28,717 plates of cooked food from 30 May to 6 June and distributed 6500 kg rice, 105 kg muri (puffed rice), 105 kg sattu (powdered gram), 650 kg pulses, 310 kg soya chunks, 2000 kg potatoes, 700 kg onions, 650 litres cooking oil, 115 kg assorted spices, 350 kg salt, 650 kg sugar, 1396 packets of biscuits, 210 cakes, 1520 bars of soap, 700 tubes of toothpaste, 570 packets of sanitary napkins, 21 kg detergent powder, 2800 tarpaulins, 350  saris, 350 lungis and 526 solar lanterns among 3676 affected families in Purba Medinipur, North 24 Parganas and South 24 Parganas districts from 3 to 25 June.

Chandipur centre served 24,720 plates of cooked food and distributed 8350 kg chira (rice flakes), 61 kg muri, 240 kg soya chunks, 145 kg assorted spices, 20 kg milk powder, 3550 kg sugar, 2581 packets of biscuits, 1000 litres drinking water, 2000 saris, 2000 lungis, 500 bars of soap, 60 kg detergent powder, 42 litres hand wash, 200 sanitizer bottles, 990 litres of phenol, 920 kg bleaching powder and 1500 tarpaulins among 4435 families in 56 villages of Chandipur, Khejuri I, Khejuri II and Ramnagar II blocks of Purba Medinipur district from 28 May to 27 June.

Contai centre distributed 1200 kg rice, 17,460 kg rice flakes, 7924 kg muri, 885 kg pulses, 414 kg soya chunks, 2210 kg potatoes, 200 kg pumpkins, 278 kg onions, 701 litres cooking oil, 555 kg salt, 95 kg assorted spices, 13,286 packets of biscuits, 278 kg milk powder, 4655 kg sugar, 2400 bottles of drinking water, 555 packets of ORS, 2820 face masks, 1710 bars of soap, 555 packets of sanitary napkins, 2476 saris, 300 towels, 650 mosquito nets, 1149 tarpaulins, and 470 utensil sets among 9200 affected families in Contai I, Khejuri II and Nandigram I blocks of Purba Medinipur district from 30 May to 25 June.

Gadadhar Ashrama, Kolkata, served 880 plates of cooked food at Gangadharpur in South 24 Parganas district from 28 to 30 May and distributed 40 kg chira, 90 kg muri, 39 kg sattu, 14 kg soya chunks, 50 kg chira bhaja (fried rice flakes), 250 buns, 200 cakes, 590 packets of biscuits and 40 bars of soap among 640 persons in Raidighi, Tajpur, Gangadharpur and Beya villages in Purba Medinipur district from 2 to 15 June.

Kasundia centre distributed 5750 kg rice, 1150 kg pulses, 311 kg soya chunks, 3450 kg potatoes, 575 litres cooking oil, 575 kg salt and 1150 bars of soap among 1150 affected families of 8 villages in Howrah and Purba Medinipur districts from 4 to 11 June.

Manasadwip centre served 1558 plates of cooked food from 1 to 4 June and distributed 6360 kg rice, 3120 kg muri, 4180 kg pulses, 738 kg soya chunks, 3790 kg potatoes, 2120  kg salt, 424 kg assorted spices, 2124 litres cooking oil, 2008 packets of biscuits, 7500  packets of ORS, 2016 bars of soap, 2510 saris, 2510 lungis, 2510 towels and 529 tarpaulins in Sagar Islands from 30 May to 29 June.

Naora centre served 1,27,592 plates of cooked food among the cyclone-affected people and a glass of milk and biscuits to 33,057 underprivileged children and distributed 300 tarpaulins, 300 mosquito nets, 300 saris and 300 lungis among 300 families in Canning I, Canning II and Basanti blocks of South 24 Parganas district from 31 May to 26 June. Further, the centre treated 727 patients in medical camps in South 24 Parganas district from 1 to 13 June.

Narendrapur centre served 1,12,258 plates of cooked food and distributed dry ration kits (consisting of rice, chira, muri, pulses, soya chunks, cooking oil, salt, assorted spices, biscuits, sugar and bars of soap), 2000 tarpaulins, 4000 saris and 2000 lungis among 20,040  families of South 24 Parganas, North 24 Parganas and Purba Medinipur districts from 30 May to 10 June.

Rahara centre distributed 7805 kg rice, 40 kg flour, 2045 kg chira, 65 kg sattu, 3095 kg pulses, 585 kg soya chunks, 5025 kg potatoes, 385 kg gram, 1000 kg salt, 1365 litres cooking oil, 2760 packets of biscuits, 538 kg baby food, 1430 kg sugar, 1000 napkins, 2810 bars of soap, 5460 face masks, 65 tubes of toothpaste, 261 toothbrushes, 400 saris, 365 towels, 365 mosquito nets and 15 tarpaulins among 1415 families in North 24 Parganas and South 24 Parganas districts from 4 to 21

Rajarhat Bishnupur centre served 2650 plates of cooked food from 6 to 13 June and distributed 200 saris and 200 tarpaulins among 200 families on 4 and 5 June.

Saradapitha centre distributed 2500 kg rice, 500 kg pulses, 1000 kg potatoes, 500 litres cooking oil, 500 kg salt, 100 kg assorted spices, 1000 packets of biscuits, 1000 bars of soap, 2500 face masks and 1000 sanitizer bottles among 500 families of Kumirmari in South 24 Parganas district on 8 June.

Sarisha centre served 3,01,809 plates of cooked food and distributed 21,528 kg rice, 11,500 kg pulses, 5005 kg gram, 4900 kg soya chunks, 6102 litre cooking oil, 3100 kg salt, 1000 kg assorted spices, 6000 kg sugar, 6000 saris, 6000 lungis, 5050 face masks, 6254 bars of soaps and 3000 tarpaulins among 6102 families in Mathurapur II, Kakdwip, Namkhana, Patharpratima, Kultali and Kulpi blocks of South 24 Parganas district from 21 to 29 June.

Sikra Kulingram centre distributed 600 kg chira, 300 kg sattu, 330 kg pulses, 484 kg soya chunks, 300 kg salt, 75 kg assorted spices, 291 litres cooking oil, 1200 packets of biscuits, 310 kg milk powder, 350 kg sugar, 600 packets of ORS and 588 bars of soap among 620 families of Sundarban area in North 24 Parganas district from 5 to 29 June.

Swami Vivekananda’s Ancestral House, Kolkata, distributed 11,580 kg rice, 1000 kg chira, 130 kg muri, 500 kg sattu, 3416 kg pulses, 3000 kg soya chunks, 50 kg potatoes, 3520 kg salt, 3520 litres cooking oil, 500 kg sugar, 3539 packets of biscuits, 3520 bars of soap and 150 kg bleaching powder among 3520 families in North 24 Parganas and South 24 Parganas districts from 1 to 15 June.

Taki centre served 22,200 plates of cooked food and distributed 3820 kg rice, 4640 kg chira, 171 kg muri, 256 kg sattu, 1496 kg pulses, 692 kg soya chunks, 2270 kg potatoes, 819 litres cooking oil, 43 kg assorted spices, 3692 packets of biscuits, 28 kg milk powder, 684 kg sugar, 1732 bars of soap, 282 kg detergent powder, 2150 saris, 2050 lungis, 2000 mosquito nets and 2225 towels among 1543 families in North 24 Parganas district from 1 to 29 June.

Tamluk centre distributed 7600 kg chira, 1050 kg muri, 5500 packets of chira bhaja, 6100 packets of chanachur (a snack mix), 10,100 packets of biscuits, 1900 kg sugar and 4000 bars of soap among 5050 families in Purba Medinipur district from 30 May to 19 June.

West Bengal: Heavy rains caused water-logging in some parts of West Bengal in May. Malda centre served 280 plates of cooked food in the Ghorapir area of Malda on 31 May.

Odisha: Cuttack centre distributed buttermilk to 7150 thirsty passers-by from 15 April to 3 May.

Tamil Nadu: In a devastating fire incident in Kaatu Nayakkan Street in Nagapattinam on 9 April, several houses of the families belonging to a scavenger community were burnt down. Thanjavur Math (a sub-centre of Chennai Math) renovated 9 of the worst-affected houses. The renovated houses were handed over to the affected families on 2 June.