Integrated Child Development Scheme is functionig in all the 11 development blocks in the district under the Social Welfare Department. Pala and Changanassery Municipalities have a U.S.N.P Project. Out of 1719 Anganwadis  644 have own buildings. The welfare institution run by the department are Mahila Mandiram-Kallara, Old age Home-Kottayam, Juvenile and Observation Home-Thiruvanchoor. These institutions have a total capacity of accomodating 225 persons, 46 Orphanages and 25 Oldage Homes of voluntary agencies are functioning in the district with Government grant.

Housing

        The Kerala State Housing Board and Co-Operative Housing establishments have launched various housing schemes in the district mainly for the benefit of the weaker sections.

        Housing scheme for scheduled caste and scheduled tribe colonies are also being implemented under special component plan and Tribal sub plan. District Nirmithi Kendra, a Government agency to propagate cost-effective techniques of housing construction is also at the service of the people. The production centre and the administrative office of Nirmithi Kendra is at Poovanthuruthu, 6km. away from Kottayam town.

Co - operation

       The co-operative sector plays an important role is intensifying the growth of agriculture and development of rural economy in the district.

       There are 825 Co-operative Societies in Kottayam. The District Co- operative Bank and its 43 branches have a deposit of 367 crores.

       There are also 147 Primary Agricultural Credit Societies, six Marketing Co-operative Societies with Rubber Processing facilities, five Agricultural Co-operative Rural Development Banks, six Urban Banks, two Primary Agricultural Rural Development Banks, seventy nine Employees Credit Co-operative Societies, six Marketing Co-operative Societies, nineteen Housing Co-operatives, 28 S.C. and S.T. Co-operatives and 312 School and College Co-operatives. A Whole Sale Consumer Co-operative Store is functioning in the district headquarters. There is a  Co-operative Tea Factory at Theekoyi and Pine apple Marketing Co-operative Society at Amayannoor.

       The Sahithya Pravarthaka Sahakarana Sanghom (S.P.C.S), a unique co-operative venture of authors and writers for publishing and marketing of books is in Kottayam.

Public Health

        The field of Public Health gives a fair picture.  Apart from the Medical College, there is one District Hospital and one District T.B.Centre. There are also one Childrens' Hospital, four Taluk Hospitals, six Community Health Centres, 11 Block Health Centres, 51 Primary Health Centres and seven Government Hospitals under the Health Department.  3475 patients can be treated in these hospitals. The total health workers in the government sector comes to 2487 including 448 doctors. In the private sector hospitals 5750 patients can be treated.

        All modern treatment facilities including the ultra modern Wholebody Scanning and Open Heart Surgery, are available both in the government and private sectors. A disease surveillance programme has been undertaken in the district.

        The Kottayam Medical Hospital, the third of its kind in the State. Over six lakh out patients and fifty thousand in patients get the service of the hospital every year. The bed strength of the hospital is 1100. There are 17 major and four minor operation theatres in the hospital. A modern blood bank is functioning round the clock.

        For the first time in the country, a Cancer Care Centre was established with the investment of the public in Kottayam. A highly sophisticated institution with Cobalt unit and most modern facilities has been commissioned here. Under the savings for Cancer Care Scheme of the Central Government, the centre has been authorised to execute cancer care and preventive measures in the district and in the adjoining districts. The centre functions in the Medical College Hospital.

         The Medical College was inaugurated on 30th December 1962 and from 15th January 1963, clinical training was imparted to students by converting the district hospital into a medical college hospital. Later all the departments were shifted to the campus in Gandhinagar. The campus itself was named Gandhinagar in 1969 on the eve of the Centenary Celebrations of the Father of the Nation. Institute of Child Health and College of Nursing are also attached to the Medical College.

        Under the Indian System of Medicine Department, Seven Ayurveda Hospitals, 31 dispensaries and 48 Grant in Aid-Vaidya Salas are functioning in the district with a bed capacity of 133. There are also four Homeopathy Hospitals and 28 Dispensaries with a bed strength of 225 functioning in the district. In the private sector there are 375 Ayurvedic Institutions and 436 Homeopathic Institutions. The district has a Central Research Institute in Homeopathy at Sachivothamapuram, Kurichy.

Animal Husbandry

       The main species of live stock in the district are cattle, goat, pig and buffalo. Cattle population as per 1996 Census is 2.29 lakh, of which 1.91 lakh is cross bred. Majority of the cattle found in the district are Rangayam, Hallikyr and cross breeds of Jersey, Sindhi and Swiss Brown. Following the introduction of artificial insemination schemes and intensive cattle development, there is a fairly large number of cross- bred Jersey and Swiss brown animals here. Two other breeds found here are Murrah and Surabhi.

       The goat population is 1.48 lakh and it consists of Kalabari, a few cross breeds of Jamnapari and the local breeds, fowls, ducks, turkey, etc., form the poultry.

       Under the Animal Husbandry Department, one District Veterinary Centre (at Kodimatha), four Veterinary Poly Clinics (Pala, Kanjirappally, Pariyaram and Changanassery), 19 Veterinary Hospitals, 58 Dispensaries, One Mobile Veterinary Hospital, Two Mobile Farm Aid units, One Rinder Pest Eradication Unit, two Regional Artificial Insemination Centres (Vaikom and Kanjirappally), two Pig breeding unit/farms (Thalayolaparambu and Kappad), one regional Poultry farm/ hatchery (Manarcad), one calf breed Subsidy Programme Office, One Clinical laboratory and 89 I.C.D.P. Sub Centers were functioning in the district.

      In 1997-98, the district produced 1.94 lakh tons of milk, 17.35 lakh eggs and 2765 metric tons meat.

       The number of dairy co-operatives in the district is 222 of which 184 Anand model and 38 traditional .Dairy Extention Office has opened in all the 11 blocks. The Department has a Mobile Quality Control Laboratory. Dairy farmers training centre was set up in Vadavathoor.

       The Pasteurisation Plant of Milma here has a daily capacity of 30,000 litres. The Milk Chilling Plant at Marangattupally has a capacity of 12,000 litres and the Milk Chilling Plant of Manjoor Dairy Society has a capacity of 3000 litres per day. The daily capacity of Malanadu Development Society's Parathodu Plant is 30,000 litres. The society has 28 dairy societies. A cattle feed manufacturing factory with a daily capacity to produce 240 tons of cattle feed is functioning in the private sector near Ettumanoor.

Fisheries

        Fish production in the district is mainly concentrated on Vembanad lake in the western portion of the district, which is part of Kuttanadu and fishing related activities take place mostly in the villages lying near to the lake. Changanassery, Kumarakom, Thiruvarppu, Vaikom,Thalayazham, Chempu, Kaduthuruthy and Kottayam are the fisheries villages in the district which are in Kottayam, Changanassery and Vaikom taluks. The Fishermen community consists of 25000 members of which 6000 registered.

        The district has 1700 hectares of ponds/ tanks. Of the 20000 hectares of paddy fields in the Upper Kuttanad, 10000 hectares is suitable for fish farming. At present farming is under taken only in 2500 hectares. Fish production from paddy fields and ponds under the peoples fish farming scheme began in 1997. In 1998-99, 3273 tons of fish produced through traditional fishing methods and 1134 tons through fish farming. In 1999-2000 fish farming was under taken in 2514 hectares and 4499 fishermen involved in the scheme.

        The Regional Agricultural Research Centre at Kumarakom started in 1972 under Kerala Agricultural University began fisheries research in 1979. They studied on integrating fish farming with pig, poultry, duck,cattle and paddy farming. The findings from the studies shows that integrating fish farming with others will bring economical benefit to the farmers. Schemes like fish ranching., cage culture and pen culture were introduced with the financial assistance of State Government and I.C.A.R for enriching the fish wealth of Vembanad lake.

        A model fish farm has setup in Pallom under the aegis of fish Farmers' Development Agency. In 1999-2000, the farm produced 3.38 lakh fingerlings under the people's fish farming scheme.  The agency distributed one crore fingerlings in 1999-2000. There are 37 fishermen co-operative societies in the district of which 25 is affiliated to the Matsyafed. In the inland fishing sector, 16 societies has set up. Nine Women Societies are also functioning in the district. Fish markets were constructed in all the Municipalities and in 28 Grama Panchayats. Hatcheries were functioning in Vaikom, Velloor, Pulikutissery, Olassa and Kothavara with financial assisatnce from Fish Farmers' Development Agency. Many fihsermen earn a livelihood through shell fishing from the Vembanad lake and industries using shell as raw material is functioning in the district.

Forest

        Forest plays an important role in the economic development of the district by influencing various sectors like agriculture, industry, employment,climate etc.

        The district has 100 sq.km., of forest land (4.5 per cent of total area) of which 54 sq.km. is forest land with trees, mostly plantation crops.There are two groups of forest - natural and man-made. The man - made forests mainly consist of eucalyptus,teak, soft wood, rubber, cashew and other plantations. Participatory forest management was indroduced in 1999-2000 with the target of forest management by peoples participation. Planting activities in the natural forests also taken up with World Bank assistance. Malaveda, Malaaraya, Sambava, Ullada, Oorali and Nayadi Communities are settled in the forest areas of the district. A society is functioning in Kossady, which is engaged in the collection of forest resources. A Timber Depot under Timber Sales Division was set up in Parambuzha.

The Kottayam high range circle has four forest divisions - Kottayam, Munnar, Kothamangalam and Mankulam. The Directorate of Tiger Project, established for the protection of tigers is at Nattasseri.The Forest Development Corporation has its head quarters at Kottayam.Forest resource development programmes are carried out by the corporation.