NGO to build 2,000 houses martyred soldiers' families in Maharashtra

Housing-focused charity Habitat for Humanity India will build around 2,000 houses for the families of the martyred soldiers this year in Maharashtra, the non-profit has said.

Of the Rs 2.5-crore needed for this, Rs 40 lakh have already been raised from a golfing tourney held on Sunday here, and the rest will be mopped from corporates and HNIs through the course of the year, Rajan Samuel, the managing director of the NGO said.

A part of the money to be raised will also be used for setting up COVID-19 care centres in Maharashtra, he said, adding from the past two tournaments, the NGO had raised Rs 1 lakh.

The third edition had over 110 golfers, including professional player Kunal Bhasin and youngsters like Ananya Datar, Arhaan Nath and Aryaan Nath playing, Samuel said, adding the first edition held in 2019 had Brian Lara playing.

Samuel said they have already built four houses in Nashik and Kolhapur villages for four armymen who were killed in a terror cross-fire in Kashmir.

The objective is to create a safety net for the families of these martyrs, he said, adding Habitat had built 1,000 houses for the families of the martyred soldiers using the money raised from the past two tournies, and claimed that their golfing has become the largest charity sporting event in the country.