The Scheduled Caste Department has begun a move to bring basic facilities to a dozen-odd Scheduled Caste community housing colonies in the district.
Colonies with at least 50 SC resident families have been selected for the social facelift. The State government has sanctioned Rs. 1 crore each to MLAs and MPs for the purpose, said District SC Development Officer K.P. Krishnakumar.
Apart from providing basic facilities such as electricity, road and drinking water to the colonies, the new scheme will aim to make sure better health care and education for them. The scheme has begun at Panambi SC Colony at Perinthalmanna.
The work in the other 11 colonies will begin within a month from June 18 as part of the anniversary celebrations of the government.
As much as Rs. 25 crore was spent for the welfare of SC communities in the last financial year. As much as Rs. 3.27 crore was sanctioned as lumpsum grant for SC students up to SSLC, and Rs. 16 lakh was distributed for Talent Search Scholarship.
As much as Rs. 3.65 crore was spent for constructing toilets for SC families, said SC Department officials. As much as Rs. 25 crore was sanctioned to 1,201 people as relief for patients and accident trauma victims from the SC Minister’s relief fund.
Officials said that a sum of Rs. 7.14 crore was spent for constructing homes and Rs. 10 crore for buying land for those below the poverty line.
As much as Rs. 72 lakh was spent for rehabilitation of the weaker sections within the SC community. Officials said that Rs. 1.59 crore was spent in aid for marriage expenses of SC women, Rs. 21.5 lakh for inter-caste marriages, Rs. 97 lakh for post-metric scholarship, and Rs. 19 lakh for different job schemes. They said that Rs. 24,750 was spent for setting up office for SC candidates entering legal practice.
