Farming, housing priority areas

Farming and women empowerment received top priority in the Kollam district panchayat budget for 2018-19. The budget presented by vice-president M. Shivashankara Pillai here on Monday envisages a surplus of ₹6.38 crore with a projected revenue of ₹190.89 crore and expenditure of ₹188.28 crore.

Housing is another focus area with an allocation of ₹15.61 for schemes under the Life Mission. A total of ₹3.1 crore has been set aside for the completion of common facility centres for women entrepreneurs and ₹ 25 lakh will go into making various Kudumbasree distribution centres operational. Ruchikoottam caterers for training unemployed youngsters in food craft and managerial fields gets ₹25 lakh.

Ten units will be started under this project.

The budget envisages a ₹3-crore project for an advanced IVF centre at Government Victoria Hospital to make infertility treatment affordable for the common man. The budget has earmarked ₹2 crore for the same.

Kandalazhaku

In the environment sector, Kandalazhaku, a project to plant mangroves on the shores of Ashtamudi Lake, gets ₹23 lakh while the second phase of Sasthamkotta Harithatheeram project will receive ₹25 lakh. A total of ₹1 core has been set aside for Swasthi, a project to construct gas crematoria at village panchayats.

Aerobic compost bins of the Thumboormuzhi model will be installed at ₹2 crore and ₹40 lakh has been allocated for opening pay-and-use toilet complexes with all modern amenities.

Multiple schemes have been envisaged in the budget for the welfare of marginalised communities. Transgenders will be trained in bridal make-up along with financial assistance to buy necessary articles.

Also, ₹ 20 lakh has been set aside to provide HIV affected in the district a nutritious diet.

A total of ₹ 1 core has been earmarked for setting up Pratheeksha Bhavan, a facility for mentally challenged.

A total of ₹ 95 lakh will go into providing scholarships for differently abled children.

Students belonging to Scheduled Castes will be given training for a number of exams as part of various schemes and ₹7.5 lakh has been set aside for providing food for destitute people among the Scheduled Tribes.

Health schemes

New schemes were announced in the health and education sectors that include Jeevanam to help dialysis patients and the development of the District Ayurveda Hospital at the cost of ₹1.25 crore. Kalipoyka, a new initiative to establish children’s parks at village and block panchayats, will receive ₹ 50 lakh while the same amount has been earmarked for setting up open gymnasiums at selected panchayat grounds.