National Service Scheme (NSS) volunteers in Kerala have taken up the relief and rescue operations on war-footing basis. About 1200 NSS units across the state are fully involved in the relief activities. The NSS volunteers are sanitising the affected area, preparing food packets for the flood victims, running common kitchen and distributing medicines.The Volunteers and other functionaries are distributing food packets to the affected people at various places and are also involved in rescue operations. They are collecting items of daily uses like Dry ration, clothes, soaps, sanitary napkins, medicines of regular use, Milk Powder, bleaching powders, Hand wash, sanitizers etc. Collection of money for the PM Relief Fund and CM Relief Fund of Kerala is also going on in all the NSS units. Volunteers from other states like Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Gujarat ,Karnataka and West Bengal are also participating actively in the relief measures.
NSS volunteers always take up relief and rescue operations on priority whenever a natural disaster occurs in any part of the country. These volunteers work tirelessly to mobilise relief materials and work for the smooth distribution of the collected materials in the affected area in close coordination with the District Administration. NSS, the flagship programme of the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, is one of the major programmes for the student youth across the country. At present about 41 lakh volunteers are enrolled in this programme in 426 Universities covering about 32000 institutions. Volunteerism is the key component of the activities undertaken by these volunteers. While studying, these student volunteers undertake community development activities which help to build their personality as well as develop the belongingness towards the society. Whenever there is a need, the NSS volunteers are coming on their own to serve the nation. Be it the issue of environment enrichment, malnutrition, immunisation or the issue of natural disaster, these volunteers are becoming the saviours for the victims.