: The corporate social responsibility venture Twenty20, which has been swept into power in Kizhakkamablam panchayat, has begun its work in right earnest and declared that it would implement the election promise of declaring the panchayat liquor-free.
A campaign by Twenty20 to close the lone liquor outlet in the panchayat was one of the eye-catching ones in the run-up to the just-concluded elections to local self-government institutions.
The declaration to go dry was made during the victory celebrations addressed by the chief coordinator of the CSR initiative and managing director of the Rs.1,200-crore Anna-Kitex group of companies Sabu Jacob on Saturday.
Twenty20 was launched in May 2013 with the express aim of turning the panchayat into a model for the country.
Seventeen of the Independents backed by Twenty20 have made it to the upcoming 19-member panchayat committee, virtually wiping out the leading political fronts in the State.
New president
A spokesman for Twenty20 said K.V. Jacob, who won from the Pokkattupady ward by a margin of over 400 votes, will be new president of the panchayat. Mr. Jacob was a member of the outgoing panchayat committee having won as an Independent backed by the CPI in the 2010 elections to local self-government institutions.
