Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday virtually opened the fourth and main campus of Udayam project of the Kozhikode district administration on the premises of the Institute of Dermatology at Chevayur here on Tuesday.
The Chief Minister appreciated the efforts made by the district administration to provide a home to the steet dwellers and wished that the Udayam project would be able to provide financial stability and independence to the people the district administration had picked up off the street at the beginning of the COVID outbreak in 2020.
Udayam is a project that envisions complete rehabilitation of rough sleepers. Apart from the new campus, there are three other campuses at Mankavu, Vellimadukunnu, and East Hill. At the beginning of the project, around 1,400 such people were identified with the help of voluntary organisations and local people and were temporarily rehabilitated.
The residents of these campuses are provided mental health assistance under the aegis of the Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences with the help of the Department of Social Justice and Daya Rehabilitation Trust, while the voluntary and charity organisations have taken up the responsibility of their food, clothing and medical aid, besides the daily expenses.
The rehabilitation is ensured by providing the camp residents skills training, fulfilling the eligibility criteria for them to get employed and finding them a sustainable means of livelihood. The eligible members are provided Aadhaar card, voters ID, bank accounts and other necessary documents to ensure their rights. Many of the residents, after vocational training, are now working in hotels, farms, footwear factories and the construction sector.
The fourth campus was funded by former MLA, VKC Mammad Koya, and Daya Rehabilitation Trust and is supported by Uralungal Labour Contractors’ Cooperative Society and Satkriya, an organisation under the Indian Institute of Architects.
Mayor Beena Philip presided over the inaugural function while Minister for Forests and Wildlife, A.K.Saseendran, released the logo of the centre. Minister for Public Works and Tourism, P.A.Mohammed Riyas, launched the website while Minister for Ports and Museums, Ahamed Devarkovil, performed the product launch. Thottathil Raveendran, MLA, and District Collector S.Sambasiva Rao took part in the online event.