KOCHI: Ernakulam district is on its way to becoming disabled-friendly. Towards this effort, the district panchayat has approved four more local self-government bodies to set up BUDS schools.
The four given the nod are Muvattupuzha municipality, Poothrikka, Puthanvelikara, and Kallurkkad. The development came during a district-level advisory committee meeting held under the chairmanship of the District panchayat president Ullas Thomas.
BUDS schools are free and open special schools for mentally challenged children of poor families. There are 62 BUDS schools in the State, all owned and managed by local government institutions. The work progress of the six BUDS institutions, which were sanctioned in 2021-22, was evaluated.
“Of this, the BUDS school at Edavanakkad panchayat has started functioning. The other five local self-government bodies were directed to finish work soon,” said Ullas.
The work progress in 22 local bodies, which received permission to start BUDS schools in the year 2018-19 and received Rs 12.5 lakh, was also evaluated in the meeting.
“At present, 15 institutions have started functioning. Of the total Rs 2.75 crore that was sanctioned, `1.5 crore was spent. Meanwhile, the local self-governing bodies, which are yet to start construction have been directed to return it to the government,” said Ullas.