THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The budget of the city corporation for 2020-21 fiscal leaves a major chunk for the welfare of women. A 90 per cent subsidy for menstrual cups and cloth pads under the title ‘Ritu’ stands out among the various women-centric projects. With a budget of Rs 3 crore, the project is aimed at creating awareness about menstrual hygiene and making products accessible to women in all strata of society. The project was announced in the budget presentation held on Tuesday.
While the city is home to the state government’s first one-night stay centre for women who are travelling to the district for various purposes, the city corporation plans to add more such shelters. ‘Nivasam’, a Rs 1-crore project, aims at creating shelters and recreation hubs for women.
Breastfeeding pods across the city have been a much-touted project of the city corporation. However, the initiative never took off. It has been added in the new budget with a fund allocation of Rs 50 lakh.
“Several women are forced to bury their dreams and make sacrifices for their families. They’re left stranded when their partners or relatives take off burdening them with debts and difficulties. It is the local body’s duty to aid them. Our projects are thus focused on helping them start small initiatives, improve skills, provide women-friendly centres and empower them,” Deputy Mayor Rakhi Ravikumar said in her budget speech while discussing the initiatives for women.
Aimed at the women who forget about their health while taking care of their family, a women healthcare project has also been announced. The Rs 50-crore project is aimed at identifying, detecting and treating lifestyle and frequent diseases like breast cancer in women.
In Kadakampally, a skill centre for women is being planned with a budget of Rs 1 crore. The project can aid a large group of women.Bus shelters are places where women often become victims of harassment. Keeping this in mind, the city corporation has come up with a Rs 10-lakh project to set up women-friendly bus shelters which will ensure their safety and security.
Cycles for girl students
As part of promoting a carbon-free city, the corporation has been encouraging cycling including a cycle brigade comprising schoolchildren. Now the civic body has launched a project ‘Poombatta’ under which cycles will be provided to girl students in Classes VIII to X with an estimated budget of Rs 1 crore.
Manaveeyam Veedhi has been a hangout for the people in the city for long. Many women-centric works have been centred around the Neermathalam tree in Manaveeyam Veedhi. Now, a project to develop
this area as a women-friendly zone has been made by the corporation with an estimated budget of Rs 10 lakh.All said and done, a few key areas like aid for women who face abuse and domestic violence, concrete projects to rehabilitate them and ensuring safe travel at night has been overlooked.
Initiatives include
In Kadakampally, a skill centre for women is being planned with a budget of Rs 1 crore. The project can aid a large group of women
A Rs 10-lakh project to set up women-friendly bus shelters which will ensure their safety
Cycles will be provided to girl students in Classes VIII to X with an estimated budget of Rs 1 crore under ‘Poombatta’
Women-friendly zone
A project to develop an area in Manaveeyam Veedhi as a women-friendly zone has been made by the corp with an estimated budget of Rs 10 lakh