Mayor Prasanna Earnest has said that the Kollam Corporation aims at a slum-free city at the earliest through the implementation of the Rajiv Awas Yojana (RAY).

Kollam has become the first city in the State to complete the basic formalities to implement the Central scheme. According to Ms. Earnest, the dilapidated municipal colony near the SMP Palace and the Kappalandimukku colony were earmarked for RAY. While 270 families live in the former colony, 70 live in the latter. Though the SMP Palace colony comprises apartments, the families there live in slum-like conditions.

The Mayor said another colony was also being considered by the corporation for RAY. But since the colony is on a Central government land, the Corporation has to purchase the land first.

She said that while the survey mapping of the two colonies had been completed, the socio-economic survey being conducted by the Centre of Science and Technology for Rural Development (Costford) would be completed by August 15, following which a project would be prepared and submitted to the Centre for approval.

The RAY for Kollam city is a Rs.350-crore project. While the city corporation will contribute 20 per cent of the plan, the State government and the Centre will contribute 30 per cent and 50 per cent respectively.

Ms. Earnest said RAY would be implemented in the city in association with the EMS Housing Scheme. Facilities for the colonies to be covered by RAY would include toilets, electricity, drinking water, and anganwadis. The Kudumbasree was the nodal agency for implementing the scheme. The Corporation had completed the basic formalities by ensuring people's participation, she added.