Page 197 - economic review

169SOCIAL SERVICE

Box No 4.10

Key Initiatives of State Planning Board

State Initiatives on Disabilities (SID):- This is a programme initiated by the State Planning
Board based on the recommendation of the Working Group on Disability for the formulation of
the 12th Five Year Plan. As a first phase it was decided to intervene in the area of prevention
of disabilities. The project is being implemented as a Sub Mission under Kerala Social Security
Mission jointly with the Education and Health departments. The major achievements of the
departments are

• Started MMR vaccination programme for newborn babies
• Rubella vaccination to around 2 lakh Adolescent girls in Govt/ Govt. aided schools
• District Early Intervention centres in 14 districts.
• Training to Anganwadi teachers in early detection of disability

Online version of the document on Social Welfare Schemes in Kerala: - This is an important
document initiated by State Planning Board to spread awareness of the social welfare schemes
at grass root level. Details of welfare schemes pertaining to various development departments
including Welfare Fund Boards were incorporated in the document. The online version of the
document is now available in www.spb.kerala.gov.in. It will enable people to download the
application form, government orders, scheme details, certificates, etc. and benefit from the
schemes.

Model Programme for Adult Mentally Challenged Persons: - This is a mile stone in the
area of disability to develop a model programme for the support and rehabilitation of adult
mentally challenged persons. The expert committee has evolved a model project for Kerala.
Accordingly, assisted living homes will be set up at three zones of the State.

Prisoners Welfare

4.135 There are 52 different types of jails and one Borstal school under the Prisons Department.
Modernization of Prisons and Welfare of Prisoners are the two major plan schemes implemented
by the department. Apart from this, the 13th Finance Commission awarded an amount of Rs.154
crore for the development of prisons and welfare of the prisoners. For the rehabilitation and self
employment of prisoners, the department runs various self employment programmes/schemes in
central prisons and open prisons. This includes furniture units, hollow bricks units, chapathi making
units, agriculture farming units and dairy units, small scale industry units, etc. Through these activities,
the department earned ` 6.29 Cr in 2013-14. As on March 2014, there were about 7572 prisoners, of
which 193 are women. Each inmate in the jail earns nearly `117 per day from various activities and
thus saving ` 3500 per month. Details of prisoners in jails are given in Appendix 4.69.

Welfare of Children

4.136 The children in the age group 0-6 years constitute 9 percent of the total population of Kerala
(2011 census). Kerala has achieved marked improvement in promoting Child Rights - survival,
protection, development and participation of children in a holistic manner. Major policies and
programmes in the above areas of child rights are detailed below.

Economic Review 2014