Charity donations replace New Year gifts at Sri Sathya Sai Collectorate

In a novel initiative, Sri Sathya Sai District Collector A. Shyam Prasad urged the officials and citizens to replace ceremonial greetings with acts of public service during the New Year celebrations.

Visitors to the Collectorate on Thursday chose to contribute towards social welfare instead of presenting bouquets, cakes, shawls and other goodies.

The initiative saw donations worth ₹2.62 lakh, including medical kits for TB patients (₹1.26 lakh), competitive examination books (₹86,533) and blankets (₹49,600).

The contributions will benefit students from 26 BC, SC and ST college hostels, with 1,868 students set to receive bedsheets and carpets for the first time, besides the academic material.

Thanking the donors, the Collector said genuine greetings are those that create social impact and called for sustained collective efforts to support the poor and vulnerable.