Fri May 23 12:43:37 UTC 2025: **Summary:**
The article reports that 379 houses have been built in Alappuzha, Kerala under the Punargeham project, a state government initiative to relocate fishing families from vulnerable coastal areas. 310 families have already moved into these new homes. The project aims to relocate 1,212 families in total. An apartment complex nearing completion at Mannumpuram will house 204 fisher families. The government provides ₹10 lakh to each family for land and construction.
**News Article:**
**Kerala’s Punargeham Project Provides Safe Homes for Coastal Families in Alappuzha**
**Alappuzha, May 23, 2025:** The Kerala government’s Punargeham project is making significant strides in providing secure housing for fishing communities vulnerable to coastal erosion. According to the Fisheries Department, 379 houses have been constructed in Alappuzha district, with 310 families already relocated to their new residences.
The Punargeham scheme aims to relocate families living within 50 meters of the coastline in nine coastal districts of Kerala to safer locations. In Alappuzha, 1,212 families have expressed their willingness to move. 750 beneficiaries have already completed land registration for building individual houses.
In addition to individual homes, a large apartment complex in Mannumpuram, near Purakkad, is nearing completion. This facility, constructed by the Kerala State Coastal Area Development Corporation, will house 204 fisher families in its 17 blocks, each containing 12 individual flat units. Each flat boasts two bedrooms, a living/dining area, a kitchen, and a toilet, covering 491 square feet. The complex is also equipped with essential infrastructure, including roads, drinking water, electricity, waste management systems, and secure compound walls.
The Punargeham project offers each beneficiary family ₹10 lakh, allocated in installments, to cover the cost of land acquisition and house construction. ₹6 lakh is for land purchase, and ₹4 lakh is for constructing the houses. This initiative demonstrates the Kerala government’s commitment to safeguarding its coastal communities from the increasing threat of coastal erosion.
First Piper 