The Ernakulam District Panchayat budget for 2018-19 focusses on building infrastructure, including roads and water supply, as well as improving agricultural production. Sustained paddy production and increasing acreage under vegetable and fruit cultivation are the other areas of emphasis in the ₹56.23-lakh surplus budget, which expects a total income of ₹156.49 crore and an expenditure of ₹155.92 crore.
The budget was presented by the vice-president of the district panchayat, Abdul Muthaleeb, in the presence of the president, Asha Sanil, and senior officials of the district panchayat administration.
Water conservation and improvement of water sources have been allotted ₹3 crore. A programme to clean up rivers affected by human activities has been allotted ₹1 crore.
Agricultural programmes focus on sustainable paddy cultivation, conservation of paddy and wetland, increased production of vegetables and fruits, model high-technology farming activities, bringing fallow land under cultivation, speciality rice support scheme, etc.
Along with water conservation, the budget also has emphasised the need for protection of various canals as sources of water and irrigation projects. A total of ₹3 crore has been set aside for the programmes.
The coastal fisheries sector has come in for special attention against the backdrop of the devastation caused by Cyclone Ockhi in November last year. Cyclical cultivation of shrimp and rice; launch of programmes to improve fish stock and availability; a programme to improve mollusc availability, etc. are on the agenda.
The district panchayat will also join the efforts of the State government to rebuild roads after cyclone Ockhi and has set aside ₹10 crore for the programme.
Solar energy generation is a key focus area and ₹1 crore has been allocated by the budget for the programme. It has not set any target to be achieved during the year. Besides solar energy generation, the budget has said that a study on mini hydel projects will be conducted with the help of agencies like ANERT.
The broad allocations are - ₹5.136 crore for road development and repair activities; ₹8.08 crore for other repair works under public works programmes and ₹46.87 crore for general welfare activities.
