Chapter 2 - Kerala Govt Logo

Environmental Assessment ReportKerala Local Government Strengthening ProjectVazhiyorathannal and Harithatheeram will be expanded and continued during 2009-10.Greening Kerala Programme including Awareness Programme, developing 14 District ForestExtension and Information Centres (DFEICs), strengthening of Forest Information Bureau (FIB)by providing necessary infrastructure facilities, participatory greening programme andbiodiversity conservation, environmental awareness campaigns, are envisaged in the scheme.It is proposed to undertake a massive tree planting programme outside the forests with the cooperationof the Local Self Governments named as „Gramma Vanam Programme’. An extent of1000 ha is proposed to plant and to distribute about one crore seedlings. The NREGS fundswould also be utilised wherever possible by the panchayat for raising the seedlings andundertaking the planting in the public areas of the panchayats. Forest Department will providethe technical support and undertake the extension work. A DPR for the scheme would beprepared by dovetailing funds from various sources. The scheme on Panchayat Vana Yojanawould also be integrated with this scheme. A portion of the outlay will be utilised fordeveloping monitoring mechanism and for establishing institutional mechanism forsustainability of the scheme in collaboration with PRIS. Planting bamboo in riversides with theinvolvement of local bodies will be initiated. Conservation and consolidation of the river andstream bank with the participation of local people are envisaged. The cost of raising nurseriesfor distribution of seedlings, replanting of road side areas, compact areas of public lands willalso be undertaken.2.3.3.9. State Poverty Eradication MissionThe State Poverty Eradication Mission implements the programme by creating communitybased structures of women below poverty line with focus on self help, demand-ledconvergence of available services and resources under the leadership of the localgovernments. Kudumbashree the State Poverty Eradication Mission (SPEM) was launched byGovernment of Kerala in 1998 with the active support of Government of India and NABARD forwiping out absolute poverty within a period of 10 years. The project is implemented throughLocal Self Governments empowered by the 73rd and 74th Constitutional amendments. Theslogan of the Mission is “Reaching out to families through Women and reaching out tocommunity through Families”. Kudumbashree is a holistic, participatory, women orientedinnovative overarching poverty reduction approach.The biggest promise for poverty reduction is the initiative to develop a network of self helpgroups of families below the poverty line (BPL), each represented by a woman. Essentially, it isbased on a community based identification of BPL families on non monetary indicators whichare transparent and which are reflective of social perceptions of poverty. Identified familiesare organised into Neighbourhood Groups (NHGs) of 20 - 25 members who are federated into anorganization called Area Development Society (ADS) at the Panchayat Ward/Grama Sabha leveland further networked into a registered NGO of poor women called the CommunityDevelopment Society (CDS) at the level of the Village Panchayat.The achievements of kudumbashree thus far are outlined below:o Kudumbashree Programme covers all the 999 Gram panchyats, 53 Municipalities and 5Corporations.o 180660 NHGs comprising of women from 37,77,783 Families have been formed82