Date:26/10/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/26/stories/2008102654040400.htm

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Monitoring centre for welfare schemes

Sangeeth Kurian

To keep a tab on financial transactions
To coordinate activities such as counselling, training

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala State Youth Welfare Board has proposed a monitoring centre to keep a tab on the financial transactions involved in implementing the various adolescent-oriented welfare programmes.

Dubbed as a “first of its kind organisation in the country,” the proposed ‘State centre for research and action programme for adolescents’ will coordinate activities such as counselling, leadership training, communication and interpersonal skills that are currently being carried out by non-governmental agencies in a piecemeal manner for children in the age group of 13-19 years.

The board estimates that the State receives nearly Rs.6 crore annually from the Union government and private charitable trusts for conducting adolescent-oriented programmes. The programmes are being implemented through various private agencies.

For transparency

“But till date, we are clueless about how effectively they are utilising the funds for the benefit of the children,” said P.Sreeramakrishnan, vice-chairman, State youth welfare board. The proposed centre was expected to usher in an element of transparency into the entire financial dealings and provide a guideline on the utilisation of funds, he said.

Though an exact figure on the number of adolescents in the State is not available, as per the 2001 census, nearly 41.8 per cent of the State population are in the age group of 13-35 years.

The centre, visualised on the lines of the Centre for Development Studies in Thiruvananthapuram, will have separate wings for research and to bring out adolescent-specific publications and newsletters. There will also be hostel and library facilities for teenagers.

“In this age of globalisation, school syllabus alone cannot effectively address the concerns of adolescents,” said Mr. Sreeramakrishnan, referring to the relevance of starting such a centre.

The national youth policy of the Union government also highlights the need for starting an adolescent centre at the State level. A proposal for the centre, approved by the welfare board chaired by Youth Affairs Minister M. Vijayakumar, is now before the government. The centre, expected to be located in Thiruvananthapuram, will be set up with the assistance of the State government and local bodies.

“We are looking forward to the grama panchayat to allocate the land for setting up the institution,” said K. Sasankan, member, youth welfare board. “We hope the centre will start functioning by 2010,” he said.