As part of its centenary celebrations, the Calicut Diocese, under the Roman Catholic Church, will construct 100 houses for financially backward families. The charity scheme is one of the 11 special projects finalised to mark the centenary celebrations that will be opened by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday.
Addressing the media here on Friday, Bishop Varghese Chakkalakal said the housing project was the continuation of a similar rehabilitation scheme initiated earlier by the diocese under which 68 houses were constructed. “The remaining 32 will be completed soon while proceeding with the newly announced ones,” he said.
Bishop Chakkalakkal also said assistance would be extended to support the marriage of 100 financially backward women. “Higher education scholarship, interest-free loans for poor students, psycho-spiritual counselling centre in Wayanad, and a financial security scheme for promoting pro-life projects are also in the pipeline,” he said.
Vicar General Jenson Puthenveetil said an education hub comprising a law college and a self-financing college would be considered in Wayanad to create better learning opportunities for students from backward villages. “A youth welfare centre with facilities for career guidance and counselling is also under consideration,” he said.
The centenary celebrations will be hosted within the compound of St. Joseph’s Church, Kozhikode, at 3.30 p.m. Cardinal George Alancherry, Archbishop Joseph Kalathiparambil, Minister for Public Works and Tourism P.A. Mohamed Riyas, and M.K. Raghavan, MP, will attend the event along with people’s representatives and other special invitees.
