Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 21 (PTI) The Kerala government on Wednesday approved a special loan scheme for Kudumbashree members in the Meppadi landslide affected area of Wayanad district.
Besides that, the
government also approved a ‘Ujjivan’ scheme for the disaster-affected people in Wayanad and Kozhikode districts in the state, a statement issued by the Chief Minister’s Office said.
The schemes were approved by the state cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
The statement said that the Ujjivan loan scheme will be implemented to restart livelihoods by utilising bank loans for the disaster-affected wards in Meppadi panchayat in Wayanad and Vanimel panchayat in Kozhikode district, where landslides had occurred on July 30, 2024.
The Ujjivan Loan Scheme is intended to help the micro, small and medium commercial, trade and industrial establishments affected by the landslide, approved home stays, disaster-affected dairy farmers, Kisan card holders, ornamental bird farmers, bee farmers, tourist vehicle owners and commercial vehicle owners to restart their livelihoods by using bank loans, it said.
A special loan scheme of Rs 8.57 crore has been approved and Rs 1.94 crore, calculated as interest on the amount, will be allocated to the Kudumbashree Mission through the Wayanad District Collector from the Chief Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund, the statement said.
“The estimated cost of the project is Rs 20 crore, which will be met by relaxing the SDRF norms as per a High Court verdict,” it said.
It further said that the concerned District Collector has been tasked to release the government share of the Ujjivan Loan Scheme to the banks.
The loan schemes will be valid till December 31, 2026, the statement said.
It said that the loans made through banking/non-banking institutions that are members of the District Level Bankers’ Committee are eligible for assistance under the Ujjivan Loan Scheme.
The cabinet also decided to set up six new forest stations in various parts of the state “to make forest and wildlife conservation more efficient and smooth and to reduce human-wildlife conflict,” the statement said.
Besides these, the cabinet also gave in-principle approval for the Chellanam Coastal Erosion Prevention Phase II work which will cost around Rs 404 crore, it said.
The Kerala Irrigation Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (KIIDC) shall be the special purpose vehicle to carry out the work and the funds will be provided through the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB), the statement said. PTI HMP KH
