Kozhikode Mayor Thottathil Raveendran in a chat with Deputy Mayor Meera Darshak before the latter presented the Kozhikode Corporation’s budget for the year 2018-19 on Saturday. more-in Health and welfare projects received major attention in Kozhikode Corporation’s budget for the year 2018-19 which was presented by Deputy Mayor and Finance Standing committee chairperson Meera Darshak on Saturday. In the budget, she highlighted the Corporation’s plan to set up health complexes in the city where ayurveda, homoeopathy and modern medicine will be available under one roof in addition to a library cum park for the elderly. An amount of ?28 lakh has been set aside for the development of basic infrastructure at all urban health centres. A ?50-lakh project has been proposed to expand the palliative care facilities in the city incorporating Kudumbasree workers and retired employees, and also to set up home nursing facilities. Making Kozhikode a woman-friendly city is one of the top priorities of the Corporation. An amount of ?30 lakh has been set aside for the rehabilitation of destitute women. A total of ?40 lakh has been allocated for the third phase of Jeevanam, the cancer awareness cum screening programme of Kudumbasree. Another ?75 lakh has been set aside for the permanent health centre for Jeevanam in its fourth phase. An amount of ?3 lakh has been allotted as a revolving fund for the expansion of Kudumbasree hostels. The Deputy Mayor announced the Corporation’s plan to set up an old age home in the city for the first time, besides several day-care centres for the elderly. An amount of ?50 lakh has been set aside for the project. Slaughterhouse project The Corporation has come up with a solution for the long-term unrest in the Nainamvalappu- Kothi region over its plan to set up a state-of-the-art slaughterhouse there. While the Corporation is going ahead with the slaughterhouse project, there is also a plan to acquire land to set up a playground in Nainamvalappu. The local people had been at loggerheads with the Corporation over a playground, which the civic body had acquired for the slaughterhouse project. The Corporation is also planning to set up three mini stadiums in the city and has also decided to press the State and Central governments for setting up an international stadium. Market development The development of Valiyangadi, the commercial hub of the city, as a heritage project was one of the highlights of the budget. Having completed the first phase renovation of S.M. Street successfully, the Corporation now plans to adopt the model for Valiyangadi as well. An amount of ?20 lakh has been set aside for the launch of the project. Ms. Meera Darshak presented a surplus budget with a projected revenue of ?721.68 crore as against an expenditure of ?710.05 crore. The budget session was chaired by Mayor Thottathil Raveendran. The budget will be put to discussion on Monday and Tuesday and will be passed after necessary amendments, if any.

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