Central & Registered Office : 
20/1B, Lalbazar Street, Calcutta – 700 001, West Bengal, India
Tel : (33) 2243-1787/210-4393/210-4912
Fax : (33) 2220-7270, Gram : ASHADEEP
E-Mail : bharati@cal3.vsnl.net.in

Centres : 

51B, Bidyayatan Sarani, Calcutta – 700 035
44/52, B.T. Road, Ghoshpara, Calcutta – 700 050

Bikash Bharati Welfare Society (B.B.W.S.) was established in 1963 with the commitment to work in the multifarious fields of social work at the National level, addressing to the needs and priorities of the poor, the deprived and the marginalised section of the community, especially in the rural areas and slums. BBWS is registered under West Bengal Societies Registration Act. 1961. Regd. No. S/9948 and recognised by the Government of West Bengal in terms of Sec. 50 of Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act 1995. The Organisation is also registered under Ministry of Home Affairs to receive Foreign Contribution Registration No. 147120441 under FCRA 1976. Donations to the Society are exempted from Income Tax u/s 80G of I.T. Act.

BBWS operates in the States of West Bengal, Bihar and Delhi having Centres at Jhargram, Tarakeswar, Baranagore (W.B.), Ghatsila (Bihar) and Ranibagh (New Delhi). BBWS has the distinction of twice being honoured with the National Award – in 1983 for Child Welfare (Individual to the Founder Director of the Society) and in 1987 as the Best Handicapped Welfare Institution. The Organisation is a Member of the State Coordination Committee for Disabilities, set up by the Government of West Bengal.

The Organisation runs a full-fleged orthopaedic hospital with physiotherapy rehab unit in Jhargram. A physiotherapy clinic is run in Tarakeswar. Training-cum-Production Centre for the handicapped youth are run in Jhargram and Tarakeswar. The Organisation has workshops where mobility aids are produced and fabricated. Assessment Clinic headed by Orthopaedic Surgeon is organised every week at Jhargram and Tarakeswar. The Organisation acts as an Implementing Agency of the Government of India, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment for providing free aids and appliances to the poor disabled persons in all the districts of West Bengal, East Delhi and Singbhum districts of Bihar. The Organisation maintains an effective networking with NGOs and GOs for the various disabled welfare schemes. Presently more than 12 (twelve) thousand poor handicapped patients are provided free treatment and care by the Organisation every year, while nearly 1500 poor disabled people are provided free aids and appliances each year by the Organisation through its Centres. Community Based Rehabilitation Programmes have been started in some villages under Jhargram Block in Midnapore district.

BBWS imparts both formal and informal education to the children for which it has set up schools. A destitute children home for 150 children is run at Jhargram. Also Vocational Training Centre for children in the trades of printing and composing and bakery and confectionery is run in Jhargram for the children. The Organisation implements Scheme for non-formal education, nutrition programme and vocational training for 300 street and working children in Baranagore in North 24 Parganas district. BBWS has launched a programme for supporting 500 street and working children in a year for mainstreaming them into formal schools in Calcutta. The NGOs under CLPOA are given funds by the Society for the implementation of the Scheme. An innovative project, of imparting education through games for village children is implemented in Jhargram and for this purpose, a childrens park with audio-visual techniques has been set up in Jhargram. A hostel for children are run at Jhargram, while Balwadis for children is run at Ranibagh (Delhi) and Ghatsila (Bihar). Children's Libraries have been set up at Jhargram and Tarakeswar Centres of the Society. Schools for Music, Dance and Painting for children duly affiliated to Bangiya Sangeet Parishad is run at Jhargram and Tarakeswar Centre of the Society. As many as 150 destitute children, 300 street and working children plus another 200 poor children are directly benefitted by the Organisation every year. Jhargram Centre of the Organisation also runs Mother and Child Health Programme along with other health related programmes concerning women.

The Organisation runs ASHADEEP – a Centre for counselling or drug addicts including out-door detoxification in North Calcutta. On an average, 1600 patients receive counselling, treatment and referral services every year through the centre. Ashadeep’s out-reach programme provides community, counselling service and conducts awareness generation programme in the vulnerable areas of North Calcutta on prevention of STDs, HIV & AIDS.

The Organisation conducts programmes on Awareness generation and Survey works on Environmental issues.

The Organisation runs a wing for treatment of general patients alongwith the Orthopaedic Hospital in Jhargram. A general OPD is also run in Tarakeswar and another OPD at Ghatsila (Bihar). All these centres conduct Immunization programme. A Leprosy Clinic is run in Jhargram in collaboration with JLP.

The organisation runs two recognised high schools in Jhargram; one English medium school affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education, Delhi and one Bengali medium School recognised by the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education. Besides, Pre-primary Centres are run at Ranibagh (Delhi) and Ghatsila (Bihar).

The child welfare programmes cover welfare of the Mothers of the child and expectant mothers. Besides anti-dowry campaign is held in Midnapore district regularly by the Organisation as an approved agency of the District Administration.

BBWS conducts survey and research work in association with or on behalf of the National Institutes on various disability related issues. The Organisation also conducts survey work on issues concerning the children, women as well as environmental issues. The Society is also an approved centre of the Rehabilitation Council of India for Conducting National Bridge Course Training on Locomotor Handicapped. Besides orientation, training for the field level staff are conducted by the Society at regular intervals.

BBWS has ever approached its programmes objective from the stand point of a totality of the Community’s needs and has steadily expanded its programme area with the community participation for holistic developments.

The Society, began its work by mobilising people’s initiatives in a remote tribal dominated village, Gashshalboni (presently known as Bikashgarh) in Jhargram Sub-division of Midnapore district, initially with the different child welfare programmes. The Founder Director of the Society Late N.C. Sengupta – a professional with a missionary zeal, established a school, a hostel and a hospital for the children. In course of time the work expanded with additional services in the field of education, health, nutrition, training, etc. aiming at an all-round development of children. New departments and units were opened and the society expanded its operational areas in other parts of West Bengal, Singbhum district of Bihar and East Delhi areas.

The outstanding work of the Organisation in the field of child welfare, particularly in the rural areas and in the slums, brought for the Founder-director of the Society, Late N.C. Sengupta, the prestigious NATIONAL AWARD FOR CHILD WELFARE in 1983.

The objectives with which the Society started the child Welfare Programmes are :-

1. To reach out to the poor and the deprived children, living in the rural and backward 
areas.
2. To create educational opportunities for all sections of children.
3. To encourage recreational and extra curricular activities for children.
4. To undertake preventive, promotive and curative health care services for the children.
5. To provide scope for Vocational Training for the children.
6. To promote all-round development of children.

A Bengali medium High School recognised by the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education was started in the year 1963 followed by an English medium High School affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education, Delhi. Both the Schools are in Jhargram.

A hostel is run in Jhargram for the students, which caters mostly to the needs of the transferable job under guardians. The hostel provides the children with opportunities of community living, imbibing in them, fellow feelings and democratic values. Sports, games and other social activities are a regular feature for the boarders.

A destitute boys' home, with a sanctioned capacity of 150 children is run in Jhargram Centre. The home is sponsored by the Government of West Bengal, Department of Social Welfare. Here the inmates are provided with education, recrational facilities, with scopes for vocational training, health care, nutrition and guidance.

With the financial assistance from the Union Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, 300 street and working children of Baranagore in North Calcutta are being provided both formal and non-formal education, health care services, recreational facilities and vocational training in different trades. This project has 8 (eight) units with collaborative support from local clubs. A good number of children (both male and female) of red light areas are also covered under the Scheme. Organising awareness, generation on various topics, ranging from elimination of child labour, protection of girl child, rights of the child and others are a regular feature of the project. A Medical Unit is also run for the benefit of the children as well as their family members.

Prevention of childhood disability and comprehensive rehabilitation services for the disabled children, are the hallmark of the programme. Regular awareness campaigns on prevention of Childhood disability through camps, seminars, workshops, training and orientation of field level functionaries are organised. Appropriate IEC materials are developed for the purpose. An Immunisation Centre is run in Jhargram Centre. Treatment and care, including mobility aids for the orthopaedically handicapped children are provided. Education, through integration with the normal children in school and vocational training in different trades, are imparted to the children with physical disabilities at the Jhargram Centre. Rural children with other forms of disabilities are provided referral services and counselling.

A ten-bedded children's hospital with orthopaedic facilities is run at Jhargram. The hospital caters to the needs of a large number of poor rural children, providing medical services free of charge. Free OPD and students' Health Clinics are run in Tarakeswar, Baranagore and Ghatsila Centres for the children living in the rural areas and the slums.

Vocational Training in printing press, sheet metal, agriculture, horticulture and handicrafts are imparted to the destitute children at Jhargram Centre. Training in sheet metal work for the rural children is arranged at Tarakeswar, while training in book binding, handicrafts and sewing-embroidery for the street children, is conducted at Baranagore.

Schools for music, dance, drama and painting have been set up at Jhargram and Tarakeswar Centres, both of which are duly affiliated to the Bangiya Sangeet Parishad. The schools develops the children to excel in cultural activities.

A well equipped library and a reading room for the children is maintained at Jhargram campus. The children are encouraged to develop interest in reading books, periodicals and newspapers, thus enabling them to gather knowledge and be updated with the current affairs of the country and the world.

Sports and games are a regular feature for the children of all the centres. Indoor and outdoor games like football, volley, khoko, cricket, badminton, etc. are played regularly. The School teams take part in inter-school and outside tournaments in games and sports and leave their mark in these tournaments.
Elocution, Essay and Quiz contests are organised for the children regularly which help in their knowledge building and personality development.

The children are also encouraged in various social service activities, ranging from campus cleaning, village and community work and participating in other health related works of the hospital.