The Sansad Adarsh Grama Yojana (SAGY) project will catalyse the development of Kumbalanghi, Governor Arif Mohammad Khan said on Thursday. He was inaugurating the inclusion of the locale, which shot to national fame a decade ago as India’s first model tourism village, in the SAGY scheme.
The project will usher in improvement in environment, agriculture, health, education, cleanliness and livelihood options in the panchayat, he said and lauded the role played by Hibi Eden, MP, and others in ensuring the inclusion of the locale in the scheme.
The Avalkayi project, which aims to make Kumbalanghi a sanitary napkin-free panchayat, too was launched on the occasion. Awareness programmes were held in the panchayat, and over 5,000 menstrual cups were distributed, Mr. Eden said.
An ambulance procured using Mr. Eden’s local area development fund was handed over to the Community Health Centre at Kumbalanghi by the Governor. In addition, tricycles were distributed to Haritha Karma Sena volunteers to ensure cleanliness in 17 wards of the panchayat, while 12 students from Scheduled Caste communities were given laptops purchased using panchayat funds.
Mr. Eden presided over the event. Kumbalanghi panchayat president Lija Thomas was among those present.