Japan has extended a grant assistance of Rs1.63 crore for social welfare and educational projects of three NGOs in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.

"The government of Japan initially considered seven projects for grant during the current fiscal," a Japanese Consulate official said.

The grant contracts were signed between Tamon Mochida, consul general of Japan and Sambhaji Pawar, President, Suyojini Sevabhavi Sanstha (Maharashtra), Nilesh Desai, director, Sampark Samaj Sevi Sanstha and Monica Singh, director, Society for Resource Integration and Development Action (both from Madhya Pradesh) here yesterday.

Suyojini Sevabhavi Sanstha received a grant assistance of Rs32.68 lakh for construction of a Middle School for rural children. The NGO has been running a middle school for rural children in Parbhani district since 1996, in a temporary structure. With this grant, it proposes to construct a new school building.

Sampark Samaj Sevi Sanstha received a grant assistance of Rs30.07 lakh for construction of a school for tribal children. The NGO been working in Jhabua district since 1987 in the field of health, community mobilisation and empowerment for social change of tribal people, promotion of sustainable natural resource management, micro-finance, promotion of environment friendly technology, environmental education, training and functional literacy.

The Society for Resource Integration and Development Action was extended grant assistance of Rs44.34 lakh for construction of a vocational training centre for tribal women.

Since 1993, the NGO is engaged in poverty alleviation through efficient management of natural resources, livelihood promotion, SHG formation, micro finance, gender sensitisation and women empowerment, reproductive and child health care.

The consulate general of Japan in Mumbai has so far sanctioned 71 projects since 1991 under the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Projects (GGP) Scheme in five states in central western India, including Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Goa, the official said.

The grant is mainly sanctioned in areas like primary health care, primary education, poverty alleviation, environment conservation, public welfare and empowerment of women, he said.