Kerala kicks off Jeevanam project for victims of crime

Our Correspondent

The Jeevanam scheme, a self-employment scheme for the dependents and injured victims of crime, will be expanded at the state level. The Jeevanam project was inaugurated in Pathanamthitta district of the Kerala. A total of 88 offenders in 2018 and 118 offenders in 2019 have been released on probation by probation officers through various courts in the state. Victims of crime face many hardships. Killing or seriously injuring the head of the household as a result of the crime will deprive a family of their livelihood.

Health and Social Justice Minister KK Shailaja said, after inaugurating the project, that the Social Justice Department had launched the Jeevan project with the support of the district administration to help such victims of crime.

The Department of Social Justice has sanctioned Rs.4.44 lakh for self-employment of 50 victims of crime in 2020-21 as part of the Jeevanam scheme. The Department of Social Justice provides financial assistance of Rs. 15,00 each. Educational assistance of Rs.300 to Rs.1,500 per month is given to the children of crime victims.

The first phase of the sponsorship was to set up a sewing unit and goat rearing unit for 26 beneficiaries who were struggling to make a living, including dependents of the victims of the crime and those with serious injuries. In addition, a subsidised dairy unit has been set up in collaboration with the Dairy Development Department for the victims of crime. Beneficiaries are provided Rs.8,600 for setting up a sewing unit and Rs.8,000 for goat rearing.

Veena George MLA presided over the function, which was attended by Pathanamthitta District Collector P.B. Nooh, Director, Department of Social Justice Sheeba George, District Police Chief K. G. Simon, Head, Department of Criminology, Tata Institute of Social Sciences Professor Vijayaraghavan, District Social Justice Officer-in-Charge Jafar Khan and District Probation Officer A.O. Abeen