Ernakulam district panchayat budget gives thrust to flood-hit sectors

  • | Saturday | 9th February, 2019

The budget for the next fiscal focuses to equip the district to meet any natural calamities,” said Muthalib.The budget also allocated Rs 30 lakh for reviving handloom sector in Chendamangalam Mapping will cover all the coastal areas and riversides in the district,” said Muthalib.Public works sector got the highest allocation in the budget (Rs 60.52 crore). Last year, Rs 51.52 crore was allocated in the budget for the same. The amount will also be used for carrying out annual maintenance of bridges and roads, which come under the panchayat. The mapping will include details such as areas prone to floods and expected rise in water level in case of natural calamities.

KOCHI: Ernakulam district panchayat budget for 2019-20 gave thrust to agriculture , irrigation, handloom and aqua farming – the sectors that suffered heavy losses in August floods.Presenting the budget on Friday, district panchayat vice-president B A Abdul Muthalib envisages an income of Rs 171.58 crore and expenditure of Rs 170.72 crore.The budget allocated Rs 10 lakh for ‘flood hazard mapping’ in Ernakulam.“We are planning to prepare a flood map of Ernakulam with the help of district disaster management authority, biodiversity board, agricultural department and centre for earth sciences. The mapping will include details such as areas prone to floods and expected rise in water level in case of natural calamities. Mapping will cover all the coastal areas and riversides in the district,” said Muthalib.Public works sector got the highest allocation in the budget (Rs 60.52 crore). The amount will also be used for carrying out annual maintenance of bridges and roads, which come under the panchayat. Last year, Rs 51.52 crore was allocated in the budget for the same. Increase in the allocation is in view of damages caused to roads in the floods.The budget also set aside Rs 19.62 crore for social welfare activities. The health sector also got a good share in the budget with an allocation of Rs 16.51 crore.Allocation for scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, development sector and women empowerment are Rs 18.61 crore, Rs 17.2 crore and Rs 6.25 crore, respectively.Giving thrust to digitalization of schools coming under the district panchayat, Rs 12.51 crore has been allocated. Installing surveillance cameras on school campuses, construction of toilets and SMS alert system for parents are the focus of projects that found place in the budget.While speaking to reporters after presenting the budget, Muthalib said that the panchayat is pushing projects to augment ‘Rebuild Kerala’ campaign of the government after the floods.“Many sectors, including agriculture, suffered badly in the floods. Paddy fields got barren due to accumulation of mud and silt. Irrigation also got affected as many canals were hit by the floods. The budget for the next fiscal focuses to equip the district to meet any natural calamities,” said Muthalib.The budget also allocated Rs 30 lakh for reviving handloom sector in Chendamangalam

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