Ernakulam District Panchayat Budget to give thrust to welfare measures

The Ernakulam District Panchayat’s upcoming Budget is expected to focus on welfare initiatives and addressing the needs of marginalised and disadvantaged communities.

District panchayat president K.G. Radhakrishnan said the Budget would prioritise sectors such as education, geriatric care, agriculture, and palliative care, with special attention to the elderly, differently abled, Scheduled Caste communities, and transgender persons.

In the case of differently abled people, focus will be given to formulating programmes and training methodologies to make them self-sufficient.

Unique products

Agriculture is another area that will get special focus, said Mr. Radhakrishnan. “When we consider agriculture, we also need to focus on developing value-added products. We are considering identifying one product from each panchayat and promoting it. For instance, we could take the case of Vazhakkulam in Manjalloor panchayat and promote pineapple. Or, there could be panchayats that have ample production of paddy, and this can be promoted. We will focus on one panchayat and one product, brand it that way and focus on value-added products from there,” said Mr. Radhakrishnan.

Special focus will be given to the development of Scheduled Caste communities. In the case of schools, focus will be on ensuring quality education. “We need to make these plans considering the changing environment and technology and equip classrooms with technological tools designed for the present times,” he added.

Mental health and geriatric health will be given primary importance, he said. The key focus will be on creating recreational spaces for the elderly. “We need to create public spaces where they can engage and relax. A large majority of the elderly are facing loneliness and social isolation, and it has to be addressed,” he added.

Farm tourism is another area that is likely to get adequate focus in the Budget.