From Our CorrespondentLUDHIANA,
Oct 27 — Nishkam Seva Ashram ounded in 1975 has been doing yeoman service to the needy. Located in Daad village on Pakhowal Road, the ashram was intended to look after abandoned aged people, but later, it diversified its activities to take care of the downtrodden and destitues.
In Daad village, senior citizens live in relative comfort and free of cost. Rooms with attached toilets are provided on a twin-sharing basis. The ashram aims at making the last years of neglected old persons comfortable. The Vridh Ashram accommodates 60 senior citizens of both sexes.
To enable young women to stand on their own two feet, tailoring training centres have been started by the ashram. So far 23,000 girls have been trained at these centres. These girls can even support their families after receiving training at these centres.
The ashram has also established Nishkam Vidya Mandirs and reform centres in the slum areas of the city at Ambedkar Nagar, Dugri Road, slums of BRS Nagar, and Grain market on the Jalandhar bypass road. A nominal fee is charged from the students. More than 45 teachers have been employed by the ashram in these schools. Brilliant students are given financial help to pursue higher studies. Seven students of these schools have become doctors and three engineers while 10 blind students have become music teachers.
The ashram also provides health care services. An eye hospital and a dental clinic have been set up to provide free medical care to the poor. These centres have the latest equipment. Medicines are given free of cost to the patients after treatment. The ashram has tied up with Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, Shri Krishna Charitable Hospital and Shri Rama Charitable Hospital. Needy patients can get admission to these hospitals at concessional rates.
The ashram also runs programmes to help mentally retarded children. At provides artificial limbs and calipers to the handicapped. Senior citizens can also avail themselves of the facilities at the day care centres being run by this Ashram. The ashram also conducts mass marriages of poor girls, irrespective of their caste, creed or religion.
At Lalton village, an institute, 'Prayatan', for the handicapped and mentally retarded children, is being planned to be set up. Land for this purpose has already been purchased. The ashram runs on voluntary donations which it gets in aboudance from business houses and individuals.
