KOZHIKODE: Excise and labour minister T. P. Ramakrishnan on Thursday cautioned local bodies against leaving farmland barren in the district. Inaugurating the LDF-led Kozhikode district panchayat's second-anniversary celebrations 'Vasantholsavam' at Nalanda auditorium, he said local administrative bodies should play a vital role in the agriculture sector. "Development is not just construction of high-rises, bridges and roads alone. Agriculture is a significant part of it, and the farmer should get all respects," he said.
Collector U.V. Jose launched an exclusive website featuring its upcoming developmental projects at the function presided over by its president Babu Parassery. The second anniversary will mark the introduction of 50 innovative development and welfare projects. They include, Child and Adolescent Care Centre at Puzhakkattiri, Ayurvedic treatment and rehabilitation for physically challenged students, multi-crore sewerage treatment plants, 47kW solar power generation, Akasha Ganga rainwater harvesting and an organic fertiliser factory.
"The majority of them will be first of its kind attempt by a district panchayath," Mr Parassery said. He said the solar project would be commissioned in April covering more than 40 schools, the district panchayat office, district hospital at Vadakara, the district homoeopathy hospital, and few farms, spending Rs 1.5 crore. He also detailed the success of Snehasparsham project that helps kidney patients.
