The Kannur district panchayat Budget for the year 2023-24 has laid stress on education, agriculture, and tourism.
District panchayat vice president Binoy Kurian presented the Budget with an estimated income of ₹125.12 crore, expenditure of nearly ₹122 crore, and a surplus of over ₹2 crore.
The Budget announced comprehensive plans to modernise agriculture, increase productivity and quality, and made substantial allocations for the sector with focus on mango honey, mango museum, hi-tech nursery, medicinal plant nursery, and food processing projects. It also proposed development of Venkalagramam, Bamboo Village, and Palahara Village. Besides, there are plans for the welfare of widows and for organising a Heritage Biennale.
Considering the increasing need for electricity, funds have been allocated for a feasibility study to implement a windmill project.
Of the total Budget, ₹27.10 crore has been allocated for the education sector, ₹6.55 crore for the agriculture sector, ₹2.15 crore for tourism, and ₹1.15 crore for women’s welfare.
The Budget gave importance to improving hygiene at schools. An amount of ₹4 crore has been allocated for it. The Budget also proposed construction of toilets in all schools.
An amount of ₹40 lakh has been earmarked for a comprehensive education programme in the district. Similarly, allocations have been made for development of schools, including distribution of furniture, construction of assembly halls, renovation of classrooms and libraries, modernisation of science labs and digital classrooms, and setting up of counselling centres.
Taking into account the growing man-animal conflict in the hilly regions of the district, ₹1 crore has been allocated for setting up solar hanging fences in areas adjoining forests.
An amount of ₹2 lakh has been allocated for the promotion of Chethikoduveli ( Indian leadwort) saplings in agriculture farms where bio-fencing using the plant has been found effective in preventing crop destruction by wild animals.
The Budget also gave priority to the LIFE Mission project, for which ₹10.88 crore has been allocated.
While the overall Budget was appreciated, some district panchayat members expressed their displeasure about bringing down funds for road development.
Though the previous Budget had allocated ₹48 crore for the sector, the 2023-24 budget reduced the allocation to ₹6 crore.
The members demanded an increase in allocation for road development saying that there were several panchayats that were unable to lay roads owing to paucity of funds.
