The draft document of Thiruvananthapuram district panchayat’s annual Plan for the 2017-18 fiscal was formally launched by Cooperation and Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran at a function here on Thursday.
Among its salient features, the ₹115.86-crore annual Plan invests much focus on measures to address water shortage that has gripped the district of late. The ‘Jalasree’ project has been evolved as a four-pronged strategy that involves undertaking a survey of water sources, organising a campaign to sensitise the public to the need to conserve water, steps to protect water bodies and recharge wells across the district.
Girls’ amenities centre
Besides improving infrastructure in schools, girls’ amenity centres will come up at 20 select schools in the district. The ‘Manasa’ centres will be equipped with toilets, napkin vending machines, water supply and facilities for primary health care.
The ‘Aksharamala’ project will involve providing special training to students in the subjects of Malayalam, Hindu, Mathematics and Communicative English.
Another highlight of the proposed Plan is that it will provide for developing 5,000 plots of 20 cents each for vegetable cultivation during the current fiscal.
A total of 3,680 such units had been developed during the last year for achieving self-sufficiency in this regard.
Notwithstanding the threat of drought, maximum utilisation of summer rains will be ensured for the project and sowing festivals will soon be organised in various parts of the district, according to Thiruvananthapuram district panchayat president V.K. Madhu.
Vazhiyambalam or wayside rest-houses will come up at 18 locations in the district with an eye on benefiting journeyers. Such facilities, envisaged with toilets, dressing rooms and others, have been planned at places, including Nanniyode, Anad, Palode, Parassala, Muthalappozhi, Aruvippuram, Karakulam, Ponmudi, Varkala and Aruvikkara.
An amount of ₹69.86 crore has been allocated as development fund with the general component being ₹48.91 crore, Special Component Plan (SCP) ₹19.03 crore and Tribal Sub Plan (TSP) ₹1.92 crore.
