Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 29 Dec: In a significant move to strengthen education and sports infrastructure in the district, the Dehradun District Administration, with the joint cooperation of ONGC Tel Bhavan and Mumkin Hai Development Foundation, has provided 330 sets of study tables and chairs to Maharana Pratap Sports College, Dehradun. Inspired by the vision of the Chief Minister, District Magistrate Savin Bansal also flagged off an ambulance for the state’s first modern Government De-addiction Centre. This ambulance has been made available through ONGC’s support for transport to and from AIIMS Hospital.
During the event, DM Savin Bansal stated that Project Utkarsh is being implemented in the district in line with the CM’s resolve to develop fundamental facilities such as furniture, outdoor sports infrastructure, drinking water, electricity, and libraries in government schools. He stressed that while the funds have been allocated from the District Mineral Foundation and District Plan, they are insufficient to meet the total requirement. Consequently, corporate houses like ONGC and HUDCO were requested by the district administration to contribute via Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds. Bansal noted that the response has been commendable, with over Rs 5 crores in CSR assistance received so far. This support has enabled the provision of furniture, sports facilities, pure drinking water, LED screens, and laptops across hundreds of government schools under Project Utkarsh, ensuring that no child is forced to sit on the floor to study.
The DM on this occasion, also expressed his gratitude to ONGC for their contribution, particularly for the ambulance provided to the Government De-addiction Centre. During the programme, three young men who have been successfully rehabilitated from drug addiction also shared their experiences. Dr Vaishali, the In-charge of the Government De-addiction Centre in Raiwala, thanked the District Administration and the government, noting that since its inception on 10 November 2025, the centre has been operating at 100 per cent capacity and the recovered people are now being closely monitored.
Speaking on the occasion, General Manager, ONGC, Neeraj Sharma observed that ONGC consistently provides support across India in the fields of education, health and the disaster relief through its CSR wing. He shared that, in the past nine months alone, ONGC Dehradun has provided assistance worth around Rs 26 crores in Dehradun district, while ONGC Delhi has contributed an additional Rs 10 crores.
It is worthwhile reminding here that the furniture previously available at Maharana Pratap Sports College was extremely old and damaged, causing significant inconvenience for the students. Through the coordination of the District Administration, new furniture has been provided via ONGC to create a better, safer, and more conducive learning environment. In addition to furniture, the District Administration, in collaboration with ONGC and various NGOs, has equipped several other government schools with water filters for clean drinking water, laptops and table-chair sets for teachers, along with other essential educational resources.
Among those present on the occasion were Chief Development Officer Abhinav Shah, ONGC General Manager Neeraj Sharma, Arun Singh, Chandan Sushil, Principal of Maharana Pratap Sports College Rajesh Mamgain, Director of Rural Development Agency Vikram Singh, Director of Mumkin Hai Development Foundation Pragati Sadana, Mayank Sharma from Waste Warriors, Naveen Kumar Sadana, and other prominent officials and representatives.
