Panchayat department to ink $200 million deal

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Minister for Panchayat and Social Welfare M K Muneer said that the Panchayat Department would sign a $200-million project with the World Bank to set up the Kerala Local Government and Service Delivery Project (KLGSDP) covering all municipalities and panchayats in the state.He was announcing the 100-day action plan of Departments of Panchayat and Social Welfare at Aruvikkara on Wednesday.The project will help mobilise resources for quality service delivery by local bodies. Top priority will be given to strengthen Kudumbashree. Muneer said self-help groups (SHGs) for differently-abled people and their kin would be formed. The agricultural activities undertaken by the Kudumbashree will be brought under the purview of Centrally-sponsored Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana (MKSP). The Rs 80-crore MKSP will be incorporated with Grameen Upajeevan Mission and National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.The ‘home shop’ project will be extended to three more districts and  Kudumbashree textile products will be marketed under the brand names Kadambari and Napstar.The minister said that an inquiry would be conducted on private micro-financing agencies which collect huge interest rates.Legal options will be used to stop such exploitation, he said and added that efforts are on to spread micro-financing through Ayalkkoottam and provide interest free loans to 10,000 Ayalakkoottams.A socio-economic survey will be conducted at endosulfan-affected regions. Only Kasargod district will be covered in the first phase. As announced by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, the hiked education allowance for students in endosulfan-affected areas will be distributed. Students up to Standard VII would get Rs 1,000, students of standard VIII to X will get Rs 2,000 and students of higher secondary will be given Rs 3,000.The Department of Social Welfare will conduct a disability certificate issuancedrive to ensure that certificates are issued to all specially-abled people in the state. He said that a disability resources helpline, with a toll free number will be initiated.As many as 20 BUDS schools with vehicle facility will be started for differently-abled children. In Kasargod district, the schools will be started at  endosulfan-affected regions.The minister said that the government was all set to announce the state nutrition policy and a monitoring system would be set up. He has also proposed a Child Welfare Commission. Muneer said that guidelines for the 12th Five-Year Plan would be formulated with priority for district planning and poverty eradication. He said that the Kerala Institute of Local Administration (KILA) would be developed as an internationally acclaimed centre.  A solar-controlled IT system will be installed at the Idamalakkudi Gram Panchayat, as a pilot project. Earlier, the minister visited various agricultural projects undertaken by the Kudumashree self-help groups in Aruvikkara Panchayat.