Kerala   

Housing scheme for the poor

MALAPPURAM: The Pallikkal grama panchayat in Malappuram has chalked out an ambitious housing project for the poor with the help of the public.

The Rs.10-crore project envisages houses for about 200 poor families. Unlike the housing schemes implemented by the civic bodies elsewhere, the Pallikkal project will be done with the participation of voluntary organisations, local donors and other philanthropists.

“Fund is not a problem. What matters is how we utilise the money. Many people, in fact, have been willing to donate funds for the project. We all want to ensure that the funds raised for the project reach their beneficiaries without any filtering or diversions,” said K.C. Saidalavi, president of the panchayat.

He said 200-odd families in the panchayat would be chosen for the project only after raising the necessary funds. The identification of the beneficiaries would be done by a special panel in such a way as not to leave any poor family without a house in the panchayat.

“Four or five locations will be identified and complexes of 40 or 50 houses will be constructed. All the 21 wards in the panchayat will be covered and about 10 beneficiaries from each ward will be selected,” said Mr. Saidalavi.

The panchayat also decided to distribute uniforms to 1,500 students in 13 schools at Pallikkal. Eight students from each class would be selected by the parent-teacher association of the respective school.

Only government and aided schools of the panchayat would be covered under the scheme. The panchayat would take up sanitation schemes in the aided schools at a cost of Rs.4 lakh. However, the share of the panchayat would be Rs.1.5 lakh.

The managements would have to raise Rs.2 lakh and the parent-teacher associations Rs.50,000 for the project.

The panchayat would provide newspaper to the 13 schools. As many as five papers would be supplied to a school.

“Of the 13 schools, 11 are aided. There are nine lower primary schools and three upper primary schools. There is only one high school,” he said.

Mr. Saidalavi said that 75-odd clubs at Pallikkal would be given two papers each by the panchayat. However, the clubs would have to bear 20 per cent of the cost. “This will ensure better utilisation of the newspaper scheme,” he said.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Uniform levies will eat into State resources: Achuthanandan
Balan seeks Sonia’s intervention
Dangerous curve
Gearing up for the monsoon
Offerings
CInema
Engagements
Housing scheme for the poor
Doctors stage dharna
Surgeons warn of cat-borne eye disease
campus notes
Serving humanity
Genius in pictures
Torturous trip
Bring auspiciousness with care
‘Nokkukooli’ is extortion: Minister
Probe into woman’s disappearance
Sanctuary named after ornithologist
Cut down newsprint price: Chief Minister
Term of reserved wards likely to be increased
Details of schools posted on Internet
On the food front
Stay on proceedings against Padmarajan

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu