On 15 July 2001, the Chamber of Commerce, Kachchh, organized a meeting of over 2,000 businessmen and farmers to discuss methods on how to revive business in Kachchh following the destruction and disruption caused by the earthquake.
The meeting was attended by the Chief Minister of Gujarat, Shri Keshubhai Patel, Suresh Mehta, Minister of Industries, and other dignitaries. On this occasion the Chief Minister officially inaugurated 40 shops built for local businessmen by the BAPS.
Addressing the assembly Arvind Thakkar, President of the Chamber of Commerce, said, 'Pramukh Swami Maharaj and BAPS have done very important work for rehabilitation here in Kachchh.'
Chief Minister Shri Keshubhai Patel said, 'Pramukh Swami and BAPS were amongst the first to arrive in Kachchh. They have reached areas which others haven't been able to reach and they have given to the people of Kachchh whatever has been asked of them. Not only Kachchh, but Gujarat will never be able to repay the debt it owes to Pramukh Swami Maharaj and BAPS.'
The BAPS has helped hundreds of other businessmen - big and small - to revive their destroyed businesses by providing necessary equipments for them to continue their various trades.
The occasion also marked the end of the official period of mourning. To celebrate this occasion the BAPS fed 'meghladus' - a traditional sweet to everyone.
Some statistics about recent BAPS aid:
|
No
|
Description
|
Quantity
|
|
1
|
Handcart (haathlari)
|
230
|
|
2
|
Goldsmith equipment
|
90
|
|
3
|
Silversmith equipment
|
160
|
|
4
|
Carpentry equipment
|
70
|
|
5
|
Sewing equipment
|
125
|
|
6
|
Bicycles
|
50
|
|
7
|
Shoes
|
7,000 persons
|
|
8
|
Clothes and mattresses
|
3,500 persons
|
|
9
|
Houses in Khavda
|
140
|
|
10
|
Muslim farmers were provided with grass, clothes, tent, tarpaulin in Shoyla village
|
130 persons
|
|
11
|
Seeds for farmers
|
2,000 kg
|
|
12
|
Harijan families of Dinara village were provided with tents, utensils, clothes and living accomodation (bhunga)
|
88 families
|