Home Minister hails Mata Amritanandamayi Devi's humanitarian efforts

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today applauded the spiritual guidance and humanitarian initiatives of Mata Amritanandamayi Devi as her charitable trust announced a Rs 25 crore relief and rehabilitation package for victims of the devastating floods in Jammu and Kashmir.

The minister who arrived here on Saturday to take part in Amma's 61st birthday celebrations also formally handed over the keys of the houses that the Mata Amritanandamyi Math has constructed in Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand, for 250 families that lost their homes in the flash floods in June 2013.

"Amma has been spreading the message of oneness, love and compassion through her teachings and her guidance will help India rise as a nation that leads to spiritual awakening globally," Home Minister said addressing a huge gathering of devotees at the cultural meet organised on the occasion of the 'Amritavarsham 61' celebrations.

He added that the path of peace and unity advocated by Amma is key to finding solutions to economic and social problems, including terrorism and insurgency.

As part of the relief efforts in Jammu and Kashmir, the Math will construct houses for the flood affected persons.

The package takes forward the trust's long history of humanitarian intervention in disaster-hit regions of India.

Singh also distributed keys and certificates to 500 houses the Math has constructed recently across Kerala. Since 1998, the Math has constructed 45,000 houses for the homeless in more than 75 locations across India.

Among a host of charitable initiatives unveiled by the Math as part of Amritavarsham61, is the extension of a widow pension scheme which currently has 69,000 beneficiaries. Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala formally extended the scheme which will benefit an additional 30,000 destitute women.