Housing, school infrastructure and agriculture sector received major attention in the Kozhikode District Panchayat’s annual budget for 2018-19 presented on Thursday.
The ₹4.67-crore surplus budget, with a revenue of ₹139.54 crore and expenditure of ₹134.87 crore, was presented by district panchayat vice president Reena Mundengad. The budget gave priority to the Livelihood Inclusion and Financial Empowerment (LIFE) Mission envisaged by the State government aimed at providing houses to the homeless in rural areas. An outlay of ₹12.76 crore has been made for the project.
District panchayat president Babu Parassery, who chaired the budget session, also said that the government had already sanctioned ₹62 crore this financial year. Last fiscal, it had sanctioned ₹54 crore.
The contribution of the government under the LIFE mission project would be 40% of the total funds. Beneficiaries of the project were selected from the meeting of grama sabhas, he said, adding that the housing schemes for those with their own land would continue under the Pradhan Manthri Awaz Yojana. The budget also laid emphasis on improving infrastructure at educational institutions. Solar panels will be installed in 44 high schools. Electricity Minister M.M. Mani will launch the ₹3.5-crore project at Kokkallur High School on April 9. Besides, a sum of ₹4.40 crore has been earmarked for carrying out repairs at government schools in April and May.
Agriculture sector has been earmarked ₹4.68 crore. The fund will be utilised for expanding paddy and organic vegetable cultivation and encouraging inter-cropping practices. Steps will be taken to purchases tractors and harvesting equipment for farmers.
Three new initiatives - dairy village, egg village and milk incentive schemes – have been envisaged under the animal husbandry sector. The outlay for the project is ₹2.98 crore. Fisheries sector has been given ₹3.08 crore. Major schemes drawn up in the sector are inland fishing and welfare projects for the fishing community.
Multiple schemes have been envisaged for the welfare of Scheduled Caste community.
Employment oriented programmes and career guidance have been planned for the Scheduled Tribe community.
