50 Homes for Student Athletes; Government Pledges Support, Says Minister Sivankutty

Thiruvananthapuram: Children who win medals at the State School Sports Meet will no longer have to worry about not having a home to keep them in. The Department of General Education is set to launch a new initiative to provide houses for deserving gold medal winners, Minister V. Sivankutty announced on Sunday.
The decision comes after the minister learned about the difficult living conditions of several athletes who participated in the State School Olympics. “Many gold medalists and record holders come from extremely poor families and do not even have a proper house. This scheme aims to support them,” Sivankutty said at a press conference.
Under the initiative, the department plans to construct 50 houses initially. The CPI(M) Idukki district committee has already pledged to build a house for Devapriya, a student from Idukki who recently won gold. Similarly, the Kerala Scouts and Guides, operating under the Education Department, will construct a home for Devananda from Kozhikode.
Sivankutty added that several organizations have responded positively to the project. “Anyone willing to help build homes for these underprivileged achievers can approach the Education Department. Such support will be a great relief for these talented children,” he said.