[India] Corporation organises development seminar: Focus on poverty alleviation

from The New India Press

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The development seminar organised by the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation on Sunday recommended poverty eradication, upliftment of weaker sections and development of infrastructure as the thrust areas during 2006-07 for the Corporation.

The seminar, held at the Government GHSS, Manacaud, discussed the draft development project document prepared by the Corporation. The draft is based on discussions on the Corporation’s development agenda and the draft project recommendations made at ward-levels.

A sum of Rs 31.35 crore, including a spillover of Rs 6.35 crore, has been set apart for development activities.

The sector-level meeting on poverty eradication, held as part of the seminar, recommended effective implementation of the Ashraya project for providing food, clothing and shelter to the underprivileged.

The VAMBAY scheme for providing houses for slum-dwellers and financial aid for an education unit for assisting children of poor fisherfolk have also been recommended. An amount of Rs 1.1 crore has been set apart for poverty eradication.

Thirty-eight slum areas have been identified in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation limits that are to be developed. An amount of Rs 2.1 crore has been set apart for this.

The need for constructing new parks and renovation of old ones was also highlighted at the seminar.

The working groups will prepare projects based on the recommendations to be presented before the Corporation Council for ratification after, which they would be submitted to the District Planning Committee (DPC), Mayor Jayan Babu said.

Thiruvananthapuram District Panchayat president Aanavur Nagappan inaugurated the seminar. Representatives from 86 wards of the Corporation and officials of various government departments took part.