Kollam, September 28, 2013: Adding grandeur to the 60th birthday celebrations of Mata Amritanandamayi, the Math on Friday unveiled its most ambitious plan to adopt 101 villages in the country with the aim of making them self-reliant.

The project known as Amrita Self-reliant Village aka Amrita Swasrayagramam project was part of a slew of welfare programmes, which were inaugurated on the final day of the three-day Amritavarsham 60 at Amritapuri near here.

An estimated five lakh devotees and guests from across the globe who are attending the  birthday meet cheered when the project was launched by Union Minister for Transport, Road and Highways Oscar Fernandes.

The village adoption programme lays stress on the development of basic infrastructure such as houses, schools, healthcare, energy security, vocational training especially for women, disaster preparedness, education and adult literacy, protection of environment and self empowerment. 

Source: The New Indian Express, September 28, 2013