News India Times

www.newsindiatimes.com – that’s all you need to know News India Times (May 16, 2026 - May 22, 2026) May 22, 2026 10 Community -FAIRFAX STATION, Va. / INDIA A grassroots healthcare initiative launched in 2010 with support from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expanded its reach to more than 300 villages across India, providing healthcare, sanita- tion and community support services to underserved rural populations. Known as the SEVAK Project, the initiative was founded to bring healthcare services directly to villages where access to hospitals and medical awareness re- mains limited. Over the past 15 years, the program has impacted more than 200,000 people across 33 districts in Gujarat, Bihar, Tamil Nadu and Odisha, while also conducting outreach efforts in Guyana, South America. At the center of the project is a village- based healthcare model in which trained local residents, known as “Sevaks,” serve as the first point of healthcare contact within their communities. Modeled after the U.S. Navy’s Indepen- dent Duty Corpsmen system, the program trains one individual from each village in basic clinical medicine, sanitation, chronic disease prevention and lifestyle counseling. Sevaks conduct screenings for diabetes, hypertension, obesity, tubercu- losis and anemia, while also educating families about hygiene, nutrition and preventive healthcare practices. Sevaks and volunteers associated with the SEVAK Project in the Indian states of Gujarat, Bihar, Tamil Nadu and Odisha gather during a training seminar orga- nized by the foundation in India. Photo: Organizers Equipped with medical devices includ- ing blood pressure monitors, glucose testing equipment, pulse oximeters and infrared thermometers, Sevaks also use educational materials developed by the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay to provide healthcare awareness within rural communities. In addition to healthcare services, the SEVAK Project has focused on improv- ing sanitation and access to clean drink- ing water. Working withWHEELS Global Foundation and theWIN Foundation in India, the initiative has established 12 reverse osmosis water plants serving rural communities. The facilities distribute more than 12,000 bottles of affordable drinking water each month. Project organizers said awareness cam- paigns led by Sevaks have also contributed to improved sanitation practices, with many villages reporting household toilet coverage rates between 85% and 100%. Women’s health and empowerment have become major areas of focus for the organization. Using non-invasive screen- ing devices, Sevaks have tested more than 42,000 girls and women for anemia, with nearly 15% identified as needing treatment or nutritional support. The project has also established sewing training centers in Gujarat and Bihar to provide vocational training opportunities for women and girls unable to continue formal education. In Devbhumi Dwarka district, the organization launched a sanitary pad manufacturing unit aimed at improving access to affordable hygiene products while creating local employment opportunities. Beyond healthcare, SEVAK volun- teers have participated in humanitarian projects including housing assistance for orphaned children, medical support for visually impaired patients, distribution of refrigerators for insulin-dependent dia- betic patients, construction of accessible toilets for amputees and book distribution programs for Adivasi children. The initiative has also partnered with the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin and the Collaboration to Eliminate Tuberculosis Amongst Indi- ans to support efforts aimed at creating tuberculosis-free villages through early diagnosis and treatment assistance. The SEVAK Project has received recog- nition from organizations including AAPI, GOPIO, WHEELS and several philan- thropic foundations. In 2023, the initiative received a healthcare award from the Con- federation of Indian Industry, followed by recognition this year from Six Sigma Healthcare in New Delhi for innovation in rural healthcare delivery. The initiative is led by Dr. Thakor G. Pa- tel, who continues to oversee the organi- zation’s mission of expanding healthcare access for underserved communities. For more information, organizers said the public can visit the project’s official website. SEVAK Project Expands Rural Healthcare Access Across India Representatives of the SEVAK Project pose with their award during the Six Sigma Healthcare Excellence Awards 2026 held in New Delhi, India. PHOTS:ORGANIZERS By Bhailal Patel Sevaks and volunteers associated with the SEVAK Project in the Indian states of Gujarat, Bihar, Tamil Nadu and Odisha gather during a training seminar organized by the foundation in India. India I ndia onWednesday banned sugar exports with im- mediate effect until September 30, 2026, or until further orders, the government said in a notification, as the world’s second-largest sugar producer tries to rein in local prices. The move is likely to support global white and raw sugar prices, while allowing rival producers Brazil and Thailand to boost shipments to Asian and African buyers. India, the world’s biggest sugar exporter after Brazil, allowed mills to export 1.59 million metric tons, betting output would exceed domestic demand. But produc- tion is now expected to lag consumption for a second consecutive year as cane yields weaken in major growing regions. Forecasts that El Nino weather conditions could disrupt this year’s monsoon have also raised the risk that next season’s output falls below initial estimates. Of the 1.59 million metric tons approved for export, traders signed contracts for about 800,000 tons, of which more than 600,000 tons have already been shipped, deal- ers said. The government said it would prohibit exports of raw and white sugar, while allowing shipments already in the export pipeline to proceed under specified conditions. It said consignments would be permitted if loading had already begun before publication of the notification in the Official Gazette. Exports will also be allowed where a shipping bill had been filed and the vessel had already berthed, arrived or anchored at an Indian port. Shipments will further be cleared if sugar had been handed over to customs or a custodian prior to publica- tion of the notification, the government said. “The government had provided additional export quo- tas in February, which encouraged traders to sign export deals. It will now be a headache for traders to fulfill those export orders,” said a Mumbai-based dealer with a global trade house. NewYork raw sugar futures extended gains to over 2%, while London white sugar futures jumped 3% after India announced the ban on exports.. -Reuters By Rajendra Jadhav India Bans Sugar Exports Until Sept 2026 To Cool Local Prices