The threat of an impending drought has reflected on the revised annual plans of local bodies in the district. The revised plans of 12 panchayats for 2016-17, approved by the district planning committee (DPC) on Thursday, earmarked sizeable chunks of funds to address drinking water scarcity and drought conditions because of a lean monsoon season.
The plan revision was done by the local bodies on the basis of special instructions from the State-level Coordination Committee for Decentralised Planning. Chekyad, Moodadi, Purameri, Chorod, Kizhakkoth, Cheruvannur, Madavur, Koothali, Maruthongara and Nadapuram were among the grama panchayats that got the approval for revised plans on Thursday. Projects of Meladi and Thuneri block panchayats too were approved at the meeting.
Officials said the project revision was mainly done to make use of the additional savings amount received by each local body after the formal submission of their annual plan. Mainly, the projects aimed at mitigating the summer water crisis and drought were incorporated during the revision process, they said.
However, the plan revision for including spillover projects was not allowed. Also, a restriction was imposed on including new projects aimed at utilising the World Bank aid.
Proposals which were submitted under the Kerala Government Service Delivery Project (KGSDP) for strengthening the institutional capacity of local government system were considered separately by the DPC. Olavanna, Unnikulam, Kodiyathur, Thuneri and Panangad grama panchayats were among those that secured the approval for the projects submitted under KGSDP.
DPC members said the previous meeting of the committee too had considered the KGSDP proposals from panchayats that came up with special proposals for improving administrative and governance functions. Among them, 60 had got approvals, they said.
District panchayat president Babu Parassery, who chaired the meeting, said the cooperation of the heads of all government departments was crucial for the successful review of various local body projects by the DPC. He also pointed out that the DPC had the responsibility to ensure the timely implementation of various Central and State sponsored projects.
District panchayat vice president Reena Mundengatt, Planning Officer M.A, Sheela and heads of various government departments were present at the meeting.
