Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is spreading its footprint across the country with its total number of shakhas increasing to 84,877.

According to RSS sources, of the 84,877 shakhas, 59,266 are being held daily, 17,229 are weekly shakhas (which are called milan) and 8,382 are being held once in a month (which are called mandali).

There is a growing attraction among the youngsters to get associated with the RSS with young children and college students comprising 62 per cent of the total swayamsevaks, Sangh sources said.

Sangh sources further suggest that a lot of tech savvy youth are also participating in RSS activities through various digital platforms. Around one lakh youth, between the age group of 20 to 35, have joined the RSS in the last one year, sources said.

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The Sangh has reached as many as 88 per cent blocks of the country through its sakhas, sources said.

A total 93,744 youth swayamsevaks, from 29,524 shakhas, attended 1255 Prathamik Shiksha Vargs – a weekly cadre training camp – held across the nation in a span of last one year.

In the last one year, 15,639 swayamsevaks completed first year training, while 3,335 received second year training and 703 graduated with third year training, sources said.

These data have emerged at the annual Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha (ABPS) – the highest decision making body of the Sangh – which began in Gwalior on Friday.

“To improve the outreach programme of the Sangh, six sah sarkaryavahs (joint general secretaries) have taken meetings of 12,000 swayamsevaks across the nation,” said RSS sah-sarkaryavah (joint general secretary) Manmohan Vadiya.

The crucial three-day meeting is being attended by the representatives of all 35 organisations from vividh khshetras (various walks of social life) of the RSS including Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM) and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). BJP president Amit Shah attended the crucial meeting on Saturday.

All RSS organisations share the details of their year-long activities in the ABPS. Around 1400 delegates, from across the nation, are attending the meeting. In every three year, a representative is elected on every 2000 swayamsevaks.

The meeting evaluate the organisational works of the Sangh and its affiliated bodies in the last one year and chalk out plans and strategies for the next one year.

Though RSS sources maintain that the ABPS “won’t discuss about the electoral politics”, they, however, suggest that swayamsevaks have been instructed to “create awareness” among the citizens to exercise the constitutional right of casting ballot and ensure “maximum polling”. The RSS has asked the swayamsevaks to help bring the party to power which is “committed” to the national interest, sources said.