The newly elected panchayat presidents in the district have been urged to focus on waste management and welfare programmes. Janakeeyam 20-25, an orientation programme for the presidents and secretaries of panchayats, held in two zones on Monday, discussed the kind of developmental activities that needed to be undertaken in the next five years and ways to address the specific needs of people.
The programme was intended to form a link between the district administration, local bodies and people’s representatives to ensure smooth implementation of various projects.
Excise Minister T.P. Ramakrishnan, who opened the session in Perambra, listed various projects that have been implemented in the district and a few others that needed to be taken up such as improving the functioning of Buds schools, setting up spaces for the elderly to get together, constructing houses for all homeless under the LIFE Mission, supporting the differently abled and intervention in the field of palliative care. He urged the local bodies to speed up and ensure efficiency of their waste management programmes.
Transport Minister A.K. Saseendran, who opened the session in Olavanna, asked local bodies to ensure welfare along with infrastructural development. District Collector Seeram Sambasiva Rao, who delivered the keynote address in both the sessions, asked the local body representatives to strive for care of the helpless and the needy. District panchayat president Kanathil Jameela urged them to ensure the completion of projects taken up by their predecessors at the earliest. She asked them to revive the rapid response teams set up for COVID vigilance.