By IANS
Palanpur (Gujarat) : A collector in Gujarat who used flavoured milk to woo poor tribal children to schools has been given a touching farewell in admiration of his two-year stint in Banaskanta district.
Leading lights of the district as well as civic groups in the region attended the function to honour outgoing collector Hareet Shukla. Shukla is now collector of Ahmedabad. The function took place last week.
Shukla’s scheme, launched in March 2007, helped to persuade as many as 50,000 children to attend schools. All of them were given flavoured milk every day, a luxury for the kids who came from poor families.
The project cost Rs.150,000 a day. Shukla opted for flavoured milk because it is said to be rich in vitamins.
His rehabilitation package for sex workers of Vadiya village too came in for praise. Eighty percent of the women in the village were involved in flesh trade.
In March he disbursed cheques for a community hall to be built in Vadiya village.