Mukkam Municipality of Kozhikode district of Kerala has bagged the National Award for the ‘Best Municipal Council ’constituted by Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India. This category of award is given to five best municipalities in the country. Mr. P.T Babu, Chairman, Mukkam Municipality, Adv. Chandni, Deputy Chairperson, Mukkam Municipality, Mr. N.K Hareesh, Secretary, Mukkam Municipality, Mr. Kunjan Master, Former Chairman, Mukkam Municipality received the award on behalf of Mukkam Municipality from Mr. Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India during the function held online on 1 January 2021.
In the first phase of PMAY (U) Programme approval was obtained for construction of 349 houses in Mukkam Municipality. Out of this, construction of 338 houses has been completed. In the second phase, approval was received for 152 houses. Out of this, construction of 137 houses has been completed. Mukkam Municipality has become the first ULB in Kerala by completing 95 % of the project in the shortest possible time.
The PMAY(Urban) Programme implemented in Mukkam Municipality stands out as it is formulated and implemented as a comprehensive programme other than considering it only as a housing programme. Also it was implemented in mission mode prefixing the dates in various phases. Various other programmes were converged for the PMAY beneficiaries and this made the housing project attractive and comprehensive. Cement building blocks were made available at Rs 10 per cement block by including in the Ayyankali Urban Employment Guarantee Scheme. Also wells were constructed for the needy beneficiaries in their house premises. Eligible houses were included in the Swachh Bharath Programme and were provided with Biogas Plants at subsidized rates (biogas plants worth Rs 15000 were given at Rs 1500). Those interested in skill training (from the PMAY U beneficiary family) were provided with skill training by including in the National Urban Livelihood Mission.
In addition, when approval was received from Kudumbashree, the meeting of the beneficiaries were conducted during the succeeding week itself and were given awareness. The dates for distribution of the installments and the completion of the houses are prefixed and are implemented in mission mode. Mukkam Municipality had taken special attention to credit the upcoming installment to the bank account of the beneficiary, once each construction phase was completed. Whenever the receipt of central/ state funds were slightly delayed, necessary actions were taken to arrange the needed amount for the beneficiaries temporarily from the own fund of the municipality. When the construction of the houses were completed, Completion Camp was organized for the beneficiaries as well. Through the camp, under the supervision of the engineering, revenue sections of the municipality, house number was allotted for the completed houses without any delay. All these had helped Mukkam Municipality in making this meritorious achievement.
Kudumbashree is the State Level Nodal Agency of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY-Urban), the centrally sponsored programme which gives houses to the urban homeless in Kerala. In Kerala, the PMAY - U programme is being implemented converging with LIFE Mission. Till date, approval has been received for construction of 1,02,229 houses. Out of this, construction of 63,449 houses have been completed. The excellence in project execution is continuing.
- 167 views