People's Plan

The concept of People’s Plan of Kerala has attracted nationwide attention.

To understand better the working of People’s Plan we should know the organisational structure of panchayats. A panchayat has 12 to 15 wards and a ward has 15 to 20 ‘ayalkoottam’ (neighbourhood groups). An ayalkoottam is a unit of 50 neighbouring families of an alley of a ward. Any development idea, individual or collective, on social, economic, cultural or any other matter is first discussed and decided in ayalkoottam meetings. The decision is forwarded to and discussed at the ward meeting called grama sabha. The approved project of the ward is then taken up in panchayat meetings. The panchayat, having funds under the People’s Plan, takes up the project. (Funds are directly allotted to each panchayat to avoid red-tape and delay in development works.) So far so good.