Important
Sectors
Agriculture
Agriculture
is the mainstay of the population, involving 75 per cent
of the people, directly or indirectly. The main crops raised
are Paddy, Coconut, Tapioca, Areca nut, Cashew nut, Banana,
Rubber, Pulses, Ginger, Pepper and Betel vine.
Here,
2.08 lakh hectares of land are available for agriculture.
The vast majority of the peasants are small land holders.
2.36 lakh hectares are holding below one hectare. Only 16,107
hectares of holdings are above 2 hectares in area.
Paddy
has lost predominance among crops during the last two decades.
Now coconut tops with a total area of one lakh hectares.
The annual coconut production stands at 569 million nuts.
Paddy is cultivated in 31098 hectares with an annual production
of 53443 tones. Cashew is raised in a total area of 10761
hectares with annual production of 4968 tones. Rubber, a
main cash crop in the district, has got coverage of 26305
hectares. Annual production is below 1,800 MT. An important
cash crop is areca nut. It covers an are of 14883 hectares,
with an average annual production of 2868 million nuts.
Tapioca is cultivated in 8226 hectares with annual production
of 2.41 lakh MT. Banana (8389 hectares) vegetables (5313
hectares) Pulse (493 hectares) Sweet Potato (272 hectares)
Oil seeds (752 hectors) Hill produces (1720 hectors) Betel
vine (448 hectares) show the crop diversity. For research
and extension services in Agriculture, Technology and to
produce and provide planting materials to the farmers, a
network of institutions function in the district. The seed
garden complex at Munderi, 27 Kms. from Nilambur, is said
to be the biggest farm in entire Asia. The District Agricultural
farm in Chungathara, State seed farms at Thavanur, Anakkayam
and Chokkad Coconut Nursery and anti-parasite breeding stations
at Parappanangadi are also functioning. A Cashew Research
and Development Center at Aanakkayam and an Agriculture
Technology College at Thavanur are functioning under the
Kerala Agricultural University. At Malappuram there is a
soil testing laboratory. One principal Agricultural Officer,
6 deputy Directors of Agriculture, 14 Block Level Assistant
Directors and 99 Panchayath level Agriculture Officers are
there.
Animal
Husbandry
According
to the 1996 Live stock Census, there were 244225 cattles,
23271 buffaloes, 209968 goats, 2571326 chicken, 45695 ducks,
3727 rabbits and 716 pigs in the district.
One
District Animal Husbandry Office, one District Vet. Center,
four Veterinary Poly Clinics, 11 Vet. Hospitals, 82 Vet.
Dispensaries, 116 intensive Cattle development program Center,
2 mobile farm aid units, 1 District poultry farm, 1 Rinderpest
check post, 1 clinical Laboratory, 1 mobile diagnostic laboratory,
1 regional artificial insemination center etc. functions
for the service of farmers and welfare of animals.
Dairy
Development
There
are fourteen Block Level extension officers and Dairy farm
instructors working under the control of the Deputy Director
of Dairy Development, Malappuram. There are at present 207
Co-operative milk societies collecting and distributing
about 48 lakh litres of milk annually. There is also one
quality control unit is working at district level for checking
the quality measure of milk. The Dairy Development Department
provides Rural Dairy Extension and Advisory Service, Fodder
Activities, Milk Quality Development and the Administration
and Liquidation of the milk co-operation societies working
under its control. The Dairy Department also provides assistance
to the societies for buildings, furniture and equipments
etc. Farmers are given assistance to purchase milk animals
and to construct standard cattle sheds under the “Western
Ghat Development Scheme” in selected watershed area. Fodder
grass cultivation is also promoted with subsidy. There is
one milk Chilling Plant at Nilambur.
Fisheries
The
district has 70 Kms. of Seacoast. It stretches from Kadalundi
nagaram in the north to Palappetty in the South. The Coastal
belt is in Vallikkunnu, Parappanangadi, Tanur, Tanalur,
Vettom, Purathur, Veliyancode, Perumpadappu Panchayats and
Ponnani Municipality. Main fishing Centres are Ponnani,
Koottayi, Parappanangadi and Tanur. High sea fish catching
operations with mechanized boats are centred in Ponnani
and Parappanangadi. Ponnani is a major fisheries port with
about 350 mechanized boats.
Rs.
30 crore port development project has been started in Ponnani
and will be completed soon. There are fisheries guide lights,
and Ponnani and Tanur to help night fishing.
Matsyafed
has stared a prawn hatchery at Veliyancode, Ponnani Taluk
in 1995 which can produce 30 million prawn seeds of tiger
prawn and giant fresh water prawn annually. A residential
high school, exclusively for children of fishermen is there
at Tanur under the Fisheries Department.
Fishermen
welfare programs are undertaken by fisheries department
and Matsyafed. The Deputy director of fisheries is at Ponnani
and the district officer of Matsyafed is at Tirur. There
are schemes to provide fishing equipments, houses, latrines
and other amenities to fishermen, There are education assistance,
insurance schemes, financial assistance during off season,
etc. for the benefit of fishermen. A Fish Farmer Development
Agency to promote inland fishing is also functioning.
Co-operatives
The
District has a good network of Co-operative societies. All
types of Co-operative activities ranging from ration shops
to hospitals are undertaken under co-operatives. One District
Co-operative Bank, 7 Urban Banks, 6 Agriculture Development
Co-operatives, 119 Primary Co-operative Banks, 17 Housing
Development Co-operative, 39 Employees societies, 68 Scheduled
cast Co-operative societies, 2 Scheduled tribe Co-operative
societies, 37 Womens Co-operative societies creative function
here, 337 College/School societies, 19 Marketing societies.
The Malappuram District Co-operative creative Bank has 33
branches.
Industries
As
on 31-03-2001 there are 11334 small industrial units with
permanent registration. Out of them 21.21 per cent are agro-based
and 22.94 per cent are textile based. These units have a
total investment of Rs. 176 cores and they provide employment
directly to 45200 people. Average investment per units is
Rs. 1.55 lakhs. There are about 696 women’s industrial units
and about Rs.1 core is spent annually for various industrial
promotion schemes like investment subsidy, interest subsidy,
self employment assistance, etc. in the district. There
are 25 medium industries of which only 11 are working which
provide direct employment to 2,300 people. These units have
a total capital investment of Rs. 46 cores. Among the medium
undertakings, 3 are spinning mills. There is one major industrial
Estate (16 Industries and 8 mini industrial estate in the
District – 51 working units.) About 1,000 persons were assisted
under PMRY scheme every year of self-employment scheme.
Preliminary steps for establishing an industrial growth
centre in 250 acres bear panakkad, has been completed. Kinfra
Food Park and IT park are coming up at Kakkancherry. A rubber
based common facility centre and industrial estate established
at payyanad at a cost of Rs. 1 crore is fast growing. The
estate is in an area of 15.03 acres, in which 32 plots have
been given to entrepreneurs for rubber based units. 17 units
are working. A single window counter functions at the District
Industries Centre, to mitigate problems faced by new entrepreneurs.
Besides the District Industries Centre at Malappuram, 4
Taluk industries offices 14 block extension offices are
functioning.
Rural
Development
Poverty
alleviation programs are implemented by the three tier panchayat
samithies. DRDA distributes the funds received from state
and Central governments among various panchayath samithies.
The Swarnajayanthi Grama Swarozgar Yojana, a self employment
program implemented by block panchayats, aims 30 per cent
of the BPL families will cross the BPL lines in each block
panchayath. Ponnani is the only block selected for the implementation
of the Samagra Awaas Yojaana (SAY), a scheme which facilitates
convergence of the activities of different department involved
in rural development. The Central Government already allotted
25 lakhs and 100 houses were taken up, which are nearing
completion. NABARD has sanctioned Rs. 1223.40 lakhs under
the Rural Infrastructure Development fund for the construction
of 32 roads in this District. Proposals were forwarded for
355 roads costing Rs. 60 cores under the Prime Minister’s
Grama Sadak Yojana, a program for providing rural connectivity
for the entire villages within a fixed time frame. 491.14
lakhs has been released by the Central Government and Seven
projects are in progress in Mankada Block. A total sanitation
program is underway and 152 lakhs has been sanctioned. The
total project cost is Rs. 6 cores. There are 14 Block Development
Officers in the is District. The District Collector is the
executive director of all rural development programs in
the district.
Social
Welfare
Integrated
Child Development Scheme (ICDS) was introduced in the district
in 1975 as a pilot project along with 28 Blocks in India.
Now this was implemented in all the 14 Community blocks
and Malappuram Urban area covering Manjeri and Malappuram
municipalities. Out of them 5 Projects Ponnani, Tanur, Tirur,
Tirurangadi and Malappuram Urban are assisted by world Bank.
Children below 6 years, lactating mothers and expecting
women are the beneficiaries or the scheme. Immunization
of children, pre-school education, supplementary nutrition
to pre-school children, reduction of infant mortality, prevention
of malnutrition illness, prevention of drop outs in schools,
health education and health care of women, etc. are the
main objective of the scheme. Anganwadis are the basis units
of ICDS. One Anganwadi generally covers 1,000 population.
2248 Anganwadies are now functioning the district. 43,000
children between 3 to 6 years and 24,000 pregnant and lactating
mothers are getting benefits of the scheme.
A
custodial care home for mentally retarded children, and
a Mahila Mandir to protect destitute women are functioning
at Manjeri. The rescue home for women and an observation
home for juvenile offenders at Thavanur, an old age home
at malappuram, are the other social welfare institution
in Malappuram district.
Education
The progress that Malappuram district attained in the field
of education during last two decades is tremendous. Great
strides have been made in the field of female education.
There are 162 high schools, 337 Upper primary schools and
825 Lower primary schools. Out of 162 high schools 73 were
upgraded to Higher Secondaries and 21 were upgraded to Vocational
Higher Secondaries.
There
is one Kendriya Vidalaya at Malappuram under Central Government
one Navodaya vidyalaya under NCERT at Oorakam and four special
schools at pallippuram, Malappuramba, Vazakkad and Parappanangadi.
Five teachers training institutes are there in the district.
For training High school teachers, one B.Ed. center functions
art Manjeri….
P.G.
Colleges
1.
P.S.M.O. College Tirurangadi
2.
Dr. Gafoor memorial M.E.S college, Mampad
3.
N.S.S. College, Manjeri
4.
M.E.S. College, Ponnani
First
Grade Colleges
1.
Govt. College, Malappuram
2.
Thunjan Memorial Govt. College, Tirur
3.
Govt. P.T.M. College, Perinthalmanna
4.
Mar Thoma College, Chungathara
5.
M.E.S. College, Valancheri
6.
E.M.E.A. College, Kondotty
7.
Unity Women’s College, Manjeri
Oriental
Title Colleges
1.
Anwarul Islam women’s Arabic College, Mongam
2.
Ansar Arabic College, Kalpakanchery
3.
Dar-UI-Uloom Arabic College, Vazhakkad
4.
Anwarul Islam Arabic College, Kuniyil
5.
Madeenathul-Uloom Arabic College, Pulikkal
6.
Sulamussalam Arabic College, Areekode
7.
Darunnajath Arabic College, Karuvarakkundu
8.
MEASS College, Areekodu
Polytechnics
1.
Govt. Poly Technic, Perinthalmanna
2.
Govt. Women’s Poly Technic, Kottakkal
3.
Seethy Sahib memorial Poly Technic, Tirur
4.
Govt. Poly Technic, Thirurangadi
5.
Technical highschool, Manjeri
6.
THS, Nannamukku
7.
THS, Kuttippuram
8.
THS Vazhakkadu – (IHRD)
There
is an ITI also at Areecode
Calicut
University
The
University of Calicut came into being on 23 July 1968. Malappuram,
Thrissur, palakkad, Kozhikode and Wayanad (Expect the Taluk
of Manathanvady) comes under its jurisdiction. The main
campus of the University is at Tenhipalam. The University
has two major ectention centres at Aranattukara (Thrissur)
and Kozhikode. There are 110 affiliated colleges, including
Thirteen Training Colleges, Six Engineering Colleges, Two
Medical Colleges, Two Ayurveda Colleges, Three Law Colleges,
Nine Oriental Title Colleges, Three IHRS centres, One fine
arts College and one college each for Dentistry, Nursing
and Homeopathy. The total students enrolment is nearly 2.6
lakhs.
Health
Services
A good network of health care units are functioning under
the Government Sector. Modern medicine, Ayurveda and Homeopathy
services are available.
Homeopathy
This
branch of medicine has got vat acceptance among the people.
Two 25 dedded Govt. Homeo Hospitals function at Malappuram
and Manjeri apart from 42 Govt Homeo dispensaries in the
district. There is a District Medical Officer for Homeo
at Malappuram.
Ayurveda
World famous kottakkal Arya Vadiya Sala is 12 Kms. away
from Malappuram. It provides patronage of research and development
of Ayurvedic treatment. Under the Government sector, one
District Ayurvedic Hospital with 50 beds functions at Edarikode.
Two Ayurvedic Hospitals at Manjeri and Velimukku with 20
beds each. Seven hospitals at Perinthalmanna, Malappuram,
Vengara, Thozhanur, Thiruvali, Chelembra and Ponnani with
10 beds each and 65 dispensaries are also there. The only
Ayurvedic Mental Hospital in the state is at Kottakkal with
50 beds.
Allopathy
Under
modern medicine, one District Hospital with all speciality
services, function at Manjeri, There are taluk hospitals
ayt Tirur, Ponnani, perinthalmanna, Nilambur and Thirurangadi.
Ten Community health centres and 10 Block level Public Health
Centre’s and 87 mini Public Health Centres’s, 1 Police Hospital,
3 Police Dispensaries, 2 Fish Dispensaries, 1 Mobile Dispensaries
are also there. The total bed strength of hospital under
govt. is 2267. The District medical officer, co-ordinates
the services. There is also a District Immunization officer,
District Leprosy Officer, District TB Officer, District
Health Education Officer and District Mass Education Officer.
In allopathic private hospitals with super specialty units
are also function in the district.
Irrigation
The
major irrigation division with the head quarters at Manjeri
is entrusted with the responsibility of safeguarding a length
of 50.275 Kms. coastline of Kerala in Malappuram District
of this 12.30 Kms. length of the coast is vulnerable and
can cause heavy damages during monsoon season. In addition
to the seacoast protection works, this division also maintains
the major river banks in the district affected by monsoon
water.
A
project of flood control works in Kadalundy river forming
a new cut connecting Keeranallut-Poorapamba river is almost
completed. The construction of lock cum regulator cum bridge
at Koottayi across Tirur-Ponnanippuzha and a lock cum bridge
at Veluyancode in Ponnani Taluk is going on.
Althoung
3 major rivers of Kerala flow through the district, Malappuram
district has no major irrigation project and hence frequent
drought is experienced. Two major irrigation schemes proposed
are Chaliyar irrigation project in Chaliyar at Chungathara
Village Nilambur Taluk and Chamravattom regularor cum bridge
in Bharathappuzha at Ponnani.
The
earlier proposal for Chaliyar irrigation project was to
irrigate 73235 H of land with dam at Pothukal. To reduce
the submergence, the site is shifted upwards and a dam is
proposed at Ambittampotty, 950 m long to irrigate an are
of 22,500 hectares. The project report submitted is with
benefit cost ratio 1.07 and as such the scope of major schemes
is not viable. The proposals and report now concentrated
are for smaller schemes with check dams and bridge over
them as wherever felt necessary. One such Check dam and
bridge at Kaipini Kadavu is already prepared and submitted,
studies for schemes in Talapalli, Tana and in various tributaries
of Chaliyar are in progress.
A
Scheme fro cleaning of Chaliyar and another scheme of master
plan on Chaliyar has already submitted.
Under
minor irrigation department, Kavanakkallu Regulator-Cum-Bridge
is completed. The scheme is envisaged for irrigation of
2,000 hectares in Malappuram and Kozhikode districts. It
gives additional quantity of 32 lakh cubic meters for water
Supply. At present 40 Lift irrigation Schemes, 20 class-1
project, 649 class-2 schemes and 52 European Economic Community
assisted schemes are there under this department. Apart
from this 22 schemes have been completed with the assistance
of NABARD.
There
are 102 rural water supply schemes under Malappuram division
and 37 under Edappal division. Out of this 39 Schemes have
been handed over to panchayats. Pandikkad, Kodur, Kottilangadi,
Oorakam, Peruvallur, Munniyur, Ponnani, Tirur, malappuram,
Manjeri are the four urban water supply schemes. Perinthalmanna
scheme is nearing completion. Danida water supply scheme
caters the need of Edappal, Vattamkulam, Thavanur, Alankode
and Aanamukku panchayats. Malappuram, Manjeri, Perinthalmanna,
parappanangadi, Kondotty, Nilambur, Tirurangdi, Vandoor,
Kodur, Kottilangadi, Oorakam, Peruvallur, Munniyur, Exhavathuruthi,
Tirunvaya, Tirur, Ponnani, Thanur, Kottakkal, Edappal, Kuttiputam
and Pandikkad are among the major existing schemes. Separate
schemes are there for SC-ST colonies.
Watershed
The
National Watershed Development Program is implemented in
this district. Under this, agricultural development programs,
minor irrigation activities, soil and water survey are taken
up in 14 Watersheds. Under Western Ghat development scheme
watersheds of Koramala in Vandoor Block, Olavattoor and
Edavannappara in Kondotty Block. Cheppur in Malappuram are
also taken up and completed. Payyanad thodu and Edavana
schemes are under constructions.
Scheduled
Tribes Development
The
Scheduled Tribe Population in the District is 14,410 as
per the available records. They live in 2882 families comprised
in 182 tribal settlements stretched in the hill ranges of
Nilambur and Eranad Taluks. Muthuvans or Malamuthans, Paniyans,
Aranadans, Kurumans, Kattunaickens and Cholanaickens are
the Scheduled tribe communities in Malappuram District.
Of these the Kattunaicken and Cholanaickens are primitive
tribal groups. The paniyans of the district are known as
Kattu Paniyans/Kurinhi paniyans and they are different from
the other Paniyans of the state and also have primitive
nature. A part from the departmental schemes, the Integrated
Tribal Development project, Nilambur is implementing various
programs for habitat/economic/educational development of
the tribes.
Scheduled
Caste Development
The
District has scheduled caste population of 25,5731. The
main communities are Kanakkad, Cheruma, Panan, mannan, Perumannaan,
Kalladi, Pulaya etc.
Various
social welfare measures like house construction, providing
land and house to the landless and houseless among the scheduled
castes, thatching and filling grants, sanitation latrine
construction, lumps sum grant and stipend to SC students
are undertaken by the SC development department. Educational
assistance to Other Backward Communities, (OBC) Other Eligible
Communities (OEC) and financially backward students of forward
communities are also given by this department. Treatment
grant also is given from the relief fund to SC-ST minister.
Accommodation
There
is one Guest House at Malappuram under the department of
Tourism. PWD rest houses and tourist bungalows are there
at all important centers.
1.
Guest House, Malappuram
2.
Rest House, Manjeri
3.
Rest House, Tirur
4.
Rest House, Ponnani-Thrikkavu
5.
T.B. Ponnani, Nagaram
6.
T.B., Perinthalmanna
7.
Rest House, Angadippuram
8.
Rest House, Kottakkal
9.
Rest House, Nilambur
10.
Guest House, Tirur
There
are Rest Houses under Calicut University at Thenhippalam,
under KFRI at Nilambur and Under Water Authority at Tirur.
In the private sector, there is one 2 starred hotel at Malappuram.
