Kozhikode District - Infrastucture

Water supply

There are two urban water supply schemes and 179 Rural Water Supply Schemes being maintained by the Kerala Water Authority as on 31.12.2001, covering 70 per cent urban population and 40 per cent rural population. The total production capacity of Calicut Water Supply Scheme is 65.25 MLD and the augmentation work, of capacity 18 MLD is in progress. There are 38 numbers of ongoing Rural Water Supply schemes, out of which 25 are nearing completion.

Health

There are 11 Government hospitals, 10 Community Health Centres and 70 Primary Health Centres in this District with a total bed strength of 4747. In addition to this, there is a Government Rural Dispensary at NGO Quarters Kozhikode, a District TB Centre at Calicut, and Two Government Fisheries Dispensaries at Vadakara and Puthiyappa. Family Planning services are available in all the hospitals and health centres. School Health services have covered all the schools in the district. In the field of immunization services, the district has creditable achievements. Not a single case of confirmed Polio has been reported here since 1993.

A Mass Media wing is functioning under the District Medical Officer of Health. There are 205 units of Mahila Swasthya Sangh in this district to promote women’s participation to solve their health problems particularly related to meternal, child health and Family Planning. To promote non governmental sector in Family Welfare Programs, Standing Committee of Voluntary Action Units (SCOVA) are also functioning here.

The District Blindness Control Society is effectively functioning in Kozhikode District. Thousands of cataract Operations and Intra ocular lens implantations were being done. To improve the health status of coastal people, Coastal Health Project was also introduced.

The District has a Regional Filaria Training & Research Centre and a Regional Analytical Laboratory.

A Cancer Control Society is functioning under the District Medical Officer of Health at Kozhikode to detect the cancer cases.

There are 7 Ayurvedic Hospitals – each at Vadakara, Payyoli, Kozhikode, Cheruvannur, Balusseri, Thalayad and Nochad with a total bed strength of 200. The District has 52 Ayurvedic Dispensaries and 4 Grant-in-aid Dispensaries. There are 45 Homeo dispensaries and 3 Homeo Hospitals with a total bed strength of 75. The total bed strength of Homeo Medical College is 100. There is a Co-operative Hospital in the city. This hospital has 125 bed strength.

The Kozhikode Municipal Corporation runs 7 Allopathic and 2 Ayurvedic Dispensaries.

Agriculture

Kozhikode district has a rich heritage in agriculture as it was a port city famous for pepper & species trade. Agriculture plays a major role in the district economy.

The crops like coconut, paddy, banana, tubers and other spices and tree crops are cultivated in 8 major soil series .

The district receives an average rain fall of 3000 mm during the months from March to December. The major share of the showers received during the months from June to August is 2000 mm.

Department of Agriculture has a number of institutions in the district aimed at the development of agriculture. A few are -Principal Agricultural Office-Located at Civil station, Kozhikode District level office to supervise and monitor the development activities in the district,. Krishibhavans, Farmers Training Institute, State Agmark Grading Laboratory , District Agricultural Farm,. State Seed Farm, Puthuppady, Coconut Nursery, Thikkotie, Urban Wholesale Vegetable Market etc.

Irrigation

Major projects under Irrigation Division are improvement and protection of Elathur-Kallai Canal, Beypore-Kallai Canal and Badagara-Mahe Canal. The improvement and protection works of Elathur-Kallai Canal is progressing and the proposal for the improvements of Beypore-kallai Canal, Badagara-Mahe Canal have been submitted to the Government as per the guidelines of IWAI, for approval. (Badagara-Mahe Canal has been handed over to the newly formed Inland Water Transport Division at Kannur). Now, Government is paying more importance for the development of Navigation through canal from Thiruvananthapuram to Kasargod for the economic transportation uses. All the above canals are part of West Coast Canal. In addition to boosting of transport facility, Elathur-Kallai canal controls floods in the Calicut city, as a drainage channel for storm water, effluents etc. The other major work undertaking through this division is Flood Control.

Animal Husbandry

Animal Husbandry Department is vested with animal health programs in the district by making available timely veterinary assistance. Animal Husbandry Office issituated at the heart of the city.

Dairy Development

The Dairy Development Department undertakes several program to enhance milk production. There are 155 Milk Co-operative Societies working in this district. The department extends assistance to sustain and develop these primary societies. There are 12 dairy extension service units functioning in the district. They are located at Vadakara, Payyoli, Koyilandy, Kozhikode, Mukkom, Kaithapoil, balussery, kakkodi, Chakkitapara, Kuttiady, Tuneri and Villiapally. Their area of operation being in the 12 respective N.E.S. Blocks.

In order to adopt scientific management practices for rearing cows Dairy Extension Officers and Dairy Farm Instructors conduct discussion classes, demonstration classes, film shows, Exhibitions, cattle shows and seminars etc.

The Milma is functioning at Peringolam near Kunnamangalam with a capacity of 60,000 litres/day. It also collects surplus milk from Palaghat, Nilambur and Wayanad. Besides liquid milk, milk-products like peda, ice cream, ghee, curd, sambharam, etc. are manufactured and marketed by the unit.

Fisheries

Kozhikode district is endowed with a coast line of 71 kms., stretching from Chaliyar to Azhiyoor; and it offers enormous resources for development of fisheries. The district is rich in brackish water area and there is great scope for shrimp farming too.

In the coastal belt, fishing is the main occupation of a large number of people. Around 25,000 fishermen are directly involved in fishing activities. The allied industries such as ice plant, freezing and processing units also provide employment to around 5,000 people in the district. As a whole, the fishing industry makes a sizeable contribution to the economy of the district as well as the State.