The foundation - established in 1991 to commemorate slain former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi's vision of India - has adopted a new approach to issues in conflict areas, it says.

"The foundation has brought psychological comfort to more than 1,200 children who have lost a parent in a terrorist attack, as well as extended financial support for their education and maintenance," Sonia Gandhi, widow of Rajiv Gandhi and chairperson of the foundation, said in its annual report.

In its projects in Srinagar, Budgam and Jammu, the foundation has funded orientation programmes to enable senior students to play a key role in de-stressing strife-torn society.

The foundation has also organised a series of workshops for children to enhance their self-confidence and given a unique opportunity to children from migrant camps in Jammu to interact with their friends in the Valley.

It has raised almost Rs.5.6 million ($126,000) for students in Gujarat, who lost one or both parents in the 2002 sectarian violence. The report said the students have been provided regular counselling support through the project.

The foundation is also active in areas of elementary education, literacy, empowerment of underprivileged women, children and tribals, health, programmes for disabled, natural resource management and promotion of science and technology for human service.

According to the annual report, the foundation has also resumed its sponsorship of the Lifeline Express - a hospital train that brings advanced hospital facilities to rural areas.

"Thousands of eye, ear and cleft lip surgeries have been performed in the 27 medical camps that we organised in the last 12 years," Gandhi said.

Till March 31, the foundation spent Rs.20.15 million as expenses for various projects in different sectors, while it has kept apart Rs.2 million for research projects. These amounts have been supplemented by external grants of Rs.11.13 million and Rs.3.07 million respectively.

--Indo-Asian News Service