Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust member R.J. Ratnakar on Monday admitted ‘small dip’ in contributions after the ‘maha samadhi’ of Sri Sathya Sai Baba and said the footfall of followers was increasing with the foreigners preferring short stay at Puttaparthi.
“We are continuing seva activity as per the guidelines spelt out by him. The footfall which is around 7,000 to 8,000 daily is touching 10,000 during weekends,” he told The Hindu here.
Mr. Ratnakar, who was here to inaugurate Sai Vatika, an integrated gram seva mandir at Gotipalli, said they had invested nearly ₹.100 crore on modernisation and expansion of super-speciality hospitals at Puttaparthi and Whitefield, Bengaluru. Almost 90% work on the R&D centre for doctoral and post-doctoral research at Sri Sathya Sai University developed at a cost of ₹.40 crore had been completed.
A research project on low-cost MRI and other healthcare facilities had been undertaken at Whitefields in partnership with Tata Trusts following an MoU. The hospital at Puttaparthi is offering free treatment in heart, orthopaedics, ophthalmology, urology and gastroenterology whereas the Bengaluru hospital specialises in neurological care.
Mr. Ratnakar said about 100 RO water plants each with a capacity of 10,000 litres had been provided during past three years in the rural areas. Free meals to patients and their attendants, which is now provided in six districts, would be extended to all the districts in Andhra Pradesh shortly. As part of Vidya Jyothi, 900 schools were being adopted across the country.