*Chandigarh, September 4:* MERA PIND 360 Foundation on Thursday announced the launch of a unique 'Punjab Di Rooh SEWA Grant' project aimed at instilling a spirit of service among the rural youth of Punjab.

Addressing a press conference at the Chandigarh Press Club, prominent personalities and representatives of the Foundation outlined the purpose and logistics of the initiative. The pilot project has been dedicated to the memory of S. Swarn S. Bhangu, late husband of well-known actress Gurpreet Bhangu. The late Bhangu had been managing one of the MERA PIND 360 centres at Bassi Gujran in district Ropar, and was known for a lifetime of selfless service to others.

Malkiat S. Rauni, a well-known personality associated with the initiative, gave an overview of the SEWA project and of the MERA PIND 360 Foundation's broader mission.

Bal Mukand Sharma, who is associated with the Foundation, explained the functioning of MERA PIND 360 centres, which are spread across rural Punjab. The ancestral homes of several NRIs and affluent Punjabis in villages have been converted into these centres to enable all-round human development for the benefit of villagers , present were Pukhraj Bhalla , Shivinder Mahal too.

The centres offer a range of facilities and services, including a books library, tools library, and a computer lab for IT training in in-demand skills. They also focus on enhancing farmers' income, teaching hand-craft skills to uneducated women, and hosting remote webinars and seminars for awareness and knowledge-building. Additionally, the centres run e-health check clinics and facilitate access to various state and central government services for villagers. Some overseas IT work has also begun for youngsters trained at these centres.

Davinder S. Garcha detailed the logistics of the Punjab Di Rooh SEWA project, explaining that its purpose is two-fold — to revive the spirit of 'serving others' among the younger generation, and to help them learn project planning skills through participation in the pilot programme.