State Planning Board Member Professor Dr. Jiju P. Alex has said that the main task of the local self-government bodies is to create conditions for Kerala to grow economically by implementing excellent annual plans.
He was inaugurating the Development Seminar of the 2023-24 Annual Plan of Kasaragod District Panchayat as part of the 14th Five Year Plan.
Importance of local self-government bodies
Dr. Alex said that Kasaragod District Panchayat Annual Plan has been prepared in such a way that it fully incorporates the guidelines given by the State Planning Board in the 14th Five Year Plan by including schemes to help economic development.
He said local self-government bodies have a major role to play in the economic development of Kerala. 42 percent of the project allocation of the State budget is allocated through the local self-government bodies, he added.
Overcoming the crisis
To overcome the economic crisis in the State, more initiatives should be started, employment opportunities should be created and social and economic security should be ensured. The local self-governing bodies should formulate annual plans to support this, he opined.
If the State has to survive the crisis, it has to achieve success in the production sector and progress economically. The local bodies have to prepare the necessary conditions for this, Dr. Alex said.
Annual plan of Kasaragod
Applauding the various achievements, he said that the Annual Plan of Kasaragod District Panchayat is exemplary. Intervention in the energy sector to use solar energy in all institutions, watershed development projects, industry incubation centre, digital literacy projects, Darpanam project for skill development and zero waste Kasaragod are all projects that can also be modelled for other districts.
Dr. Alex further said that the State Planning Board will provide all assistance to these projects. He also said that the traditional audit system needs to change so that innovative projects are also considered.
In the development seminar held at Kasaragod Municipal Town Hall, Zilla Panchayat President P. Baby Balakrishnan presided while Sree Narayana Open University Vice Chancellor Dr. Mubarak Pasha delivered the keynote address. District Collector Bhandari Swagat Ranveerchand and District Police Superintendent Dr. Vaibhav Saxena were the special guests.
