CHENNAI: Rotary International president, Kalyan Banerjee, has said that the organisation was committed to eradicating polio from this planet completely. On his first visit to Chennai after assuming the post, he praised the Tamil Nadu government for its efforts in fighting polio in an effective manner.With the aim of raising $200 million to accelerate worldwide awareness programmes to eradicate polio, Rotary International was working out a plan for this year. It would render more financial support to the countries that were polio endemic. Chennai Rotary District presented `1 crore to Rotary Foundation as its contribution.Elaborating on his plan, Kalyan Banerjee said, “Our top priority is to eradicate polio, a fatal disease that still threatens children in Africa and Asia. India is doing well in stamping out polio. In 2010, there were only 42 polio cases in India. But in January 2011, there has been just one case reported in West Bengal. Not a single case in other states, including Tamil Nadu. I appreciate Tamil Nadu government’s efforts for being a polio-free state.”He was to meet Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa today but because of a delay in his flight, the meeting could not take place. He said, “I was eager to meet the chief minister and to offer Rotary International’s support to the welfare programmes of the government. Unfortunately, I am not able to meet her.” He pointed out that Rotary had already been joining hands with the Tamil Nadu government in promoting rain water conservation.Rotary International would be organising a Conference on Cooperation and Development in Sri Lanka in September. The focus of the conference would be on health, culture, and education. Explaining Rotary’s work in Sri Lanka, he said that Rotary had already opened a school in Jaffna in which, many war-affected children were being given education. “The Rotary’s next action would be taking education to rural areas,” he added.Rotary International plans to start its own social networking site to connect all the 1.2 million Rotarians worldwide.Kalyan Banerjee is the third Indian to be elected as the president of Rotary International. He assumed the post on July 1 this year for a one year tenure.
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