From ‘thattukadas’ to martial arts

Women-centric projects given emphasis in Corporation budget

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:KERALA- 23/ 06/ 2016:: Dy Mayor Rakhi Ravikumar presenting the Budget of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation for the year 2016-17 at the Council in Thiruvananthapuram.......Photo: S. Gopakumar.











In the middle of her budget speech, Deputy Mayor Rakhi Ravikumar suddenly turned poetic, reciting a few lines from O.N.V. Kurup’s ‘Pengal’ (sister). Her intent was to highlight the issues faced by women, most importantly their security. That intent is reflected in the number of women-centric projects in the budget for the financial year 2016-17.

Bicycles for girls

The ‘Karuthh’ project to impart martial arts lessons to women has an allocation of Rs.10 lakh.

The ‘Lady birds’ project proposes to provide bicycles to girl students from economically backward families studying in the tenth standard in government schools. The ‘Yathrasahaayi’ project aims at setting up a guidance centre at Thampanoor for women arriving from other places.

An amount of Rs.50 lakh has been allocated for electric She-taxi and She-autos with GPS tracking facility.

Napkin vending machines

The city will soon have 100 mobile ‘thattukadas’ run by women from Kudumbasree.

The project has an allocation of Rs.50 lakh. The ‘Be happy’ project aims at providing more napkin vending machines at schools and public places.

The ‘Jwala’ project proposes to provide yoga classes for women.