THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : Yet again, Kerala has garnered national recognition for its implementation of Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihood Mission (DAY-NULM), a Union government-sponsored scheme. Kerala secured the top position in the 2023-24 SPARK (Systematic Progressive Analytical Real-time Ranking), a ranking awarded by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
Kerala has become the only state to win the SPARK award for seven consecutive years, said a release issued by Kudumbashree Mission - the nodal agency for the project in Kerala. Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan secured the second and third positions, respectively.
The awards were received on behalf of Kudumbashree Mission by LSDG principal secretary Sharmila Mary Joseph, state programme managers Beena E and Meghna S at a function held at India Habitat Centre in New Delhi .
Kerala had previously secured the first position in the 2020-21 financial year, the second position in 2021-22, 2022-23, and 2018-19, and the third position in 2019-20 and 2017-18. The SPARK ranking is awarded based on general guidelines stipulated by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs to ensure timely completion of the project’s objectives.
The project has been implemented in 93 municipalities in Kerala.