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S. M. Sehgal Foundation (SMS Foundation), registered in 1999, works for comprehensive rural development in the remote, semi-arid regions of Haryana and Rajasthan. They have reached nearly 500,000 people in over 464 villages so far, and aim to reach over one million people by 2017.

Some of the key activities are:

• Village Leadership Schools (VLS): VLS and block leadership schools formed under the organization’s ‘Sushasan Abhi’ initiative mobilizes citizens from villages to come together as a collective. During FY15, 5,733 beneficiaries were trained towards improving village governance.
• Rainwater Harvesting: Over 35 rainwater harvesting systems were constructed during FY15 in school and households. An innovative solution designed by SMS Foundation, of creating a freshwater pocket within the saline aquifer through rainwater harvesting, won Millennium Alliance Award in 2014 and was featured at the United Nations Solutions Summit.
• Community Radio: ‘Kanoon ki baat’, a radio program series with National Legal Services Authority, was broadcasted in 225 villages and helped build awareness about availability of free legal services. Another initiative, ‘Humara Ration Humara Haq’, informed listeners about the entitlements under National Food Security Act 2013.
• Citizen Support and Information Center (CISC): The CISC, setup in Mewat, enables citizens to access information on key government programs by accessing a toll free number.
• Low cost technology for safe drinking water: The organization has developed a stainless steel biosand filter which removes biological contamination, iron and suspended impurities from water to make it safe for drinking. The filter has no operation and maintenance cost and works under force of gravity without using any form of energy.
• Water Augmentation: SMS Foundation is working towards improving water accessibility by increasing groundwater levels with help of check dams, contour trenches, nallah bunds, dug well recharging, pressurized recharge wells, and pond development.
• Farmers’ Training: The foundation provides training to small landholder farmers to improve soil health, conserve water and increase crop yields to improve overall productivity. The training emphasizes on livestock management, including complete nutrition, vaccination, breed improvement, and insurance for farm animals.