Page 57 - Kerala calling OCTOBER 2020

plan implementation resulted in (under General sector) should be include the transgender community
higher expenditure besides solving set apart for the productive sector. under special groups. Now, Local
the problem March bunching of The experience in the first four years Governments have to earmark 5
expenditure. of the 12th Plan was reviewed by per cent for the development of
the present Government when it children, the physically and mentally
The 13th Five-Year Plan of the State assumed office in May 2016 and a challenged and transgender, and
places special emphasis on the issues decision was taken to restore the another 5 per cent for the welfare
arising due to rapid urbanisation in mandatory minimum allocation of of the elderly and the palliative care
Kerala. It recognises the importance 20 per cent for the productive sector, projects.
of developing appropriate strategies for the Annual Plan 2016-17. This
and programmes for coping up with was again revised at the beginning Scope of subsidies that
challenges and opportunities thrown of the 13th Plan and the mandatory can be disbursed through
up by the process of urban growth. minimum ceiling for the productive Local Government Plans
sector was enhanced to 30 per cent
Another notable initiative introduced in the case of Grama Panchayaths, has been broadened by
in 2017-18 is the preparation of Block Panchayaths and District including more items
District Plans by District Planning Panchayaths. In the case of Urban
Committees (DPCs). All the DPCs Local Governments it was fixed at 10
in Kerala could complete this task, per cent.
following the detailed guidelines The introduction of
issued by the State Government. In order to give higher priority to the new guidelines, which
development of special needs groups
From the beginning of the People’s it was decided, at the beginning simplified the procedures,
Plan, it was stipulated that a fixed of the 13th Plan, to increase the resulted in the early
percentage of the plan grant in aid allocation up to 10 per cent and to submission of Plans
prd.kerala.gov.in/publication/keralacalling/OCTOBER 2020 57 KERALA CALLING