The Kozhikode Corporation is planning to partially fund the four shelter homes for the homeless under Udayam Charitable Trust as well as a new building for the shelter home at Chevayur.
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A recent Corporation council meeting decided to divert funds set aside for a night shelter at Cheruvannur under the National Urban Livelihoods Mission (NULM) for the building at Udayam home at Chevayur.
“Setting up shelter homes for the homeless is the responsibility of the civic body, and we have funds to support them. However, the Corporation was not in a position to do anything in 2020 when COVID-19 struck, and hence, the District Collector took the initiative to set up Udayam Charitable Trust for the purpose. Now, the Corporation is trying to do its bit,” said P. Diwakaran, welfare standing committee chairperson.
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Besides the Collector, Udayam Charitable Trust has the Sub Collector, District Social Justice Officer, Finance Officer, District Police Chief (Kozhikode City), and the District Medical Officer in the administrative panel. The trust has already set up shelter homes at Vellimadukunnu, Mankavu, and West Hill, besides Chevayur, which together can accommodate 44 persons.
The facility has so far benefited 1,502 homeless people, many of whom have either gone back with their relatives or have found work. Sub Collector V. Chelsasini is the chief executive officer of the trust, while Deputy Collector E. Anitha Kumari and Dr. G. Ragesh are the special officers.
Each shelter home will get ₹30 lakh (₹6 lakh per annum) from the Corporation for the next five years. The new building is being set up at a cost of ₹2.5 crore. Besides, the Corporation has provided ₹1.42 crore as rent for homes functioning out of other buildings for the next five years.