Two new schemes for children

Kozhikode Corporation programmes to benefit the differently abled

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Ayurveda centre proposed in the city

Money from Poverty Social Fund and Plan funds

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Kozhikode, India: The Kozhikode Corporation has decided to introduce two new schemes for children residing in the limits of the city.

One is Support to the Challenged (SUCHAl) and the other Ayurvedic Centre and Research Institute for Child and Adolescent Development (ARCADE). The first scheme will benefit around 300 differently-abled children. The project is aimed at overcoming their challenges and developing their skills for the future.

Deputy Mayor P.T. Abdul Latheef said here on Thursday that funds would be mobilised from the Poverty Social Fund, a component of the Kerala Sustainable Urban Development Programme (financed by the Asian Development Bank) and the Plan Fund allotted from the State government. A sum of Rs.23 lakh would be required for implementing the scheme, he said.

He said that parents of these children found it financially difficult to meet the needs of their wards. The scheme would help mitigate the suffering of parents to a great extent. An amount of Rs.15 lakh would be allocated this fiscal for providing scholarship to these children, Prof. Latheef said.

Training

Training would be given to children to develop their skills. Software in this regard was available in the market. Mobility scooters would be provided to physically-challenged children. A sum of Rs.20 lakh would be allotted for this scheme, he said.

The ARCADE scheme is drawn up to study the physical, mental and intellectual problems of children right from the primary age-group to adolescents and provide them with Ayurvedic treatment. A one-acre plot has been identified for the purpose at Nallalam on the outskirts of the city. The area which belonged to the Corporation has scope for further expansion activities.

Elaborating on the scheme, Prof. Latheef said the Ayurvedic centre would deal with epilepsy, behavioural problems and mental challenges faced by children. It would function as a multi-disciplinary research centre as well as provide treatment in physiotherapy, speech therapy and psychotherapy.

The Corporation had planned to involve several government agencies such as National Rural Health Mission, Department of Health Sciences, Department of Social Welfare and Department of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (Ayush) under the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in the project.

The civic body expected funding from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) as well, he said.

The Deputy Mayor said K. Sreekumar of Kozhikode District Ayurveda Hospital had been entrusted with the task of preparing a project in this regard. A detailed project report would be submitted to the stake-holders via the State government.

Facilities

He said the Corporation would also consider a scheme to improve facilities at the existing Anganwadis and construct a few more for the benefit of children belonging to the economically backward communities. Already the budget had proposed a sum of Rs.2.20 crore for nutritional needs of children at Anganwadis this year.

Repairs would be carried out in a time-bound manner at 20 Anganwadis, another 20 would be upgraded as resource centres for women empowerment and four new Anganwadis would be constructed this fiscal, Prof. Latheef said.

Reference Link
http://www.hindu.com/2010/04/16/stories/2010041652750300.htm

Courtesy
The Hindu