Currency crunch: Kerala church comes forward to help those with no money

November 20, 2016

Kochi, Nov 20: While the central government has taken a series of steps to end the hardship being faced by the common man after the its decision to ban the old currency notes, a church in Kerala has now come forward to help those with no money.

moneychurch

The church made an announcement in this regard during its Sunday mass after which two collection boxes were opened to help the less privileged during demonetisation.

The announcement was made by St Martin De Porres church in Ernakulam district of Kerala, which said that it would be opening its collection box for those who are in urgent need of money, expecting nothing in return.

"There are around 200 families who come under this church. Most of them are people who may not have proper savings in bank accounts and those who do not know the workings of an ATM. Ever since the Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes became illegal, they have been struggling to meet their daily needs," said Jimmy Poochakkatt, the parish priest was quoted as saying.

People could take as much money as they needed and could give it back to the church later, whenever they could.

"We did not keep track of who took what. But we were told the box mainly filled with Rs 10 and Rs 50 notes were of great help for them," said Shelson Francis, the Convenor, Church Committee Youth Wing.

The collection box is usually opened once in six months or so. By the end of Sunday, the boxes were left with only a few Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes.

Comments

Rikaz
 - 
Sunday, 20 Nov 2016

Tirupati and various temples stocking money and gold....instead they help poor's around.....example like church...we wont see any poor's around India...forget about religion around....adopt giving....

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News Network
December 19,2025

Mangaluru: In a decisive move to tackle the city’s deteriorating sanitation infrastructure, the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) has announced a massive ₹1,200 crore action plan to overhaul its underground drainage (UGD) network.

The initiative, spearheaded by Deputy Commissioner and MCC Administrator Darshan HV, aims to bridge "missing links" in the current system that have left residents grappling with overflowing sewage and environmental hazards.

The Breaking Point

The announcement follows a high-intensity phone-in session on Thursday, where the DC was flooded with grievances from frustrated citizens. Residents, including Savithri from Yekkur, described a harrowing reality: raw sewage from apartments leaking into stormwater drains, creating a "permanent stink" and turning residential zones into mosquito breeding grounds.

"We are facing immense difficulties due to the stench and the health risks. Local officials have remained silent until now," one resident reported during the session.

The Strategy: A Six-Year Vision

DC Darshan HV confirmed that the proposed plan is not a temporary patch but a comprehensive six-year roadmap designed to accommodate Mangaluru’s projected population growth. Key highlights of the plan include:

•    Infrastructure Expansion: Laying additional pipelines to connect older neighborhoods to the main grid.

•    STP Crackdown: Stricter enforcement of Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) regulations. While new apartments are required to have functional STPs, many older buildings lack them entirely, and several newer units are reportedly non-functional.

•    Budgetary Push: The plan has already been discussed with the district in-charge minister and the Secretary of the Urban Development Department. It is slated for formal presentation in the upcoming state budget.

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