Minister to open development centre

The district panchayat’s newly-constructed District Development Centre will be inaugurated by Rural Development Minister K.C. Joseph here on May 26.

The three-storied building with a basement car parking area had been built at cost of Rs. 3.82 crore, district panchayat president K.A. Sarala said at a press conference here on Monday.

A major portion of the building would be rented out to public sector commercial establishments such as banks, she said.

Two more floors would be built in future, she said adding that the building was the first such initiative of a district panchayat in the State to generate funds for various projects.

Ms. Sarala said that the panchayat was expecting an additional revenue of Rs. 50 lakh per annum from collection of rent for leased spaces in the building. Generating own funds would remove the present constraints for carrying out the panchayat’s charitable and developmental activities such as ‘Snehajyothi’ free dialysis project, she said.

The building would have Kudumbasree’s restaurant, Café@ Kudumbasree to be opened in the coming week, she added.

There was also a plan to open a permanent stall for the exhibition and sale of handloom products, she informed.


THE HINDU