The 2013-14 Budget of the district panchayat, which is likely to be tabled on Tuesday, will focus on agriculture, health, and education sectors.
Vice-president of the district panchayat Rufus Daniel told The Hindu that many schemes were rolled out in the 2012-13 Budget aimed at boosting rural agriculture. To sustain the momentum, the coming Budget would give thrust on agriculture. More allocation would be made for protecting lakes and canals in rural areas, he said.
In the last Budget, Rs.10 crore was allocated under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme for restoration of Vellayani freshwater lake. Work had commenced and vast area of the lake was restored. In the coming Budget, a proposal would be made for lift irrigation, in which water is lifted with pumps and transported to fields in Vellayani and other lake areas.
The other focus areas would be health and education. Efforts would be made to provide funds to hospitals recently transferred to the jurisdiction of the panchayat. “We have plans for the Homeopathy hospital at Pazhavangadi and taluk hospitals at Neyyattinkara and Peroorkada,” he said. The Budget would also focus on improving infrastructure in the 73 schools under the panchayat, he said.
Of the total Rs.22 crore allocated under the General Plan head during the current year, 60 per cent of the amount had been spent till March 21. By the end of March, the percentage could go up to 70 per cent.
The panchayat did not receive around Rs.18 crore this year, as a major part of the amount under plan head during 2010-11 remained unspent, said an official.
