Patheyam, a scheme of the district panchayat to provide a square meal to the destitute in society, will get under way in the district on Wednesday.
Minister for Local Self-government K.T. Jaleel will inaugurate the scheme on the premises of the Nagaroor panchayat office. B. Sathyan, MLA, will be the chief guest. District panchayat president V.K. Madhu will preside.
In the first phase, the project will be implemented in Cherunniyoor, Aryancode, Kadinamkulam, Pothencode, Pallichal, Kottukal, Kunnathukal, Kuttichal, Nagaroor, And Vithura panchayats.
Project beneficiaries are identified through ward-level surveys. The beneficiary list identified through the survey is recognised by the grama sabha. The final list is drawn up after scrutiny under the supervision of the panchayat expert committee.
The beneficiaries include the elderly, couples above the age of 60 who are living alone, those who seek alms, those who sleep by the roadside, and the physically and mentally challenged.
Patheyam will target 1,168 destitute in the first phase. The maximum number of beneficiaries have been identified in Kottukal panchayat – 227, and the least are in Pallichal – 64.
Food packets will be provided to the needy through Kudumbasree. Pesticide-free vegetables grown by the Kudumbasree neighbourhood groups will be used for making the food.
Mr. Madhu said an amount of ₹1.35 crore will be spent for Scheduled Castes and ₹75 lakh for Scheduled Tribes under the project.
