Mangaluru: As many as 166 villages under 97 gram panchayats have been identified for implementing the Union government’s Mission Antyodaya scheme in Dakshina Kannada, according to M.R. Ravi, Chief Executive Officer of Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat.

It is basically a poverty alleviation programme by converging different schemes of the government. The scheme would be launched on October 2, 2018 and would be in force for two years thereafter, he said. A scheme of the Union Ministry of Rural Development, it allows participation of professionals, institutions and enterprises to address multi-dimensions of poverty for transforming the livelihoods of people in villages.

Hospitals could be built, bank branches and ATMs could be opened, roads could be developed, toilets could be constructed, income generating activities could be taken up and bank loans could be arranged in such villages under the programme.

The villages have been identified based on the parameters related to infrastructure, human development and economic development. Village level infrastructure data based on Census 2011, baseline situation of gram panchayats and open defecation free status have been studied before identifying the villages.

A note from the Ministry said: “A baseline survey on these indicators has been carried out by the State governments in 5,000 clusters/50,000 gram panchayats during Gram Samridhi Evam Swachchata Pakhwada from October 1 to October 15, 2017. This baseline data would be used to monitor the progress of the gram panchayats/cluster against the identified indicators, besides ranking the gram panchayats.”

According to the Ministry, the mission is aimed at making such villages poverty free within 1,000 days.

“Real difference comes about through convergence as it alone simultaneously addresses multi-dimensions of poverty,” the note said.

In the two major rural taluks in the district, Sullia and Belthangady, Panja, Balpa, Balila, Bellare, Sampaje, Subrahmanya panchayats in the former, and Ujire, Mundaje, Laila and Hosangady panchayats in the latter have been identified for taking up the scheme.