Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, Tourism Minister Jupally Krishna Rao at the launch of an app to verify applications for Indiramma Housing Scheme, in Hyderabad on Thursday (December 5, 2024) . | Photo Credit: NAGARA GOPAL
Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has announced that the Telangana Government will seek the Central Government’s assistance for the construction of Indiramma houses to fulfil the Congress promise of providing houses to all shelterless families.
4.5 lakh houses, ₹5 lakh assistance
The government has taken up construction of 3,500 houses each in the 119 assembly constituencies totalling to 4.5 lakh houses in the first phase and has decided to provide financial assistance of ₹5 lakh in four instalments for construction of each house to eligible beneficiaries who own piece of land. It has been decided to select the poorest of poor for the scheme prioritising dalits, tribals, persons with disabilities, agricultural labour, sanitation workers and transgenders.
“Priority has been accorded to these sections as this will not give scope for political interference in the allocation of houses,” the Chief Minister said. He was speaking after launching the mobile app for verifying the applications for houses submitted by the poor at the field level to verify their claims, in Hyderabad on Thursday (December 5, 2024).
Mr. Revanth Reddy said the Government was using technology including artificial intelligence to monitor construction of houses under Indiramma housing scheme as “we are firm against giving scope for any lapses in the implementation of the scheme”.
The Government had decided to enhance the cost per house to ₹5 lakh from ₹1.25 lakh sanctioned in the government headed by late Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy owning to the increased costs of material, labour and other components. “We have also relieved 7,000 families which took loans for construction of Indiramma houses in the past from the debt burden,” he said.
Number of houses completed
This was in addition to ₹195 crore released for speedy completion of the incomplete two bedroom houses launched by the previous Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government. While the Congress Governments distributed 25.04 lakh houses under Indiramma scheme in the past, the previous BRS Government had sanctioned 1.52 lakh 2BHK houses of which around 65,000 had been completed.
₹22,500 crore needed for the first phase
Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka said the Government took up the programme in spite of the financial constraints it was facing on account of the huge debt burden imposed by the previous BRS regime. He said the first phase of the scheme at ₹5 lakh a house would require ₹22,500 crore but the Government was committed to raise resources for fulfilling its commitment. “We are observing rigorous fiscal discipline to meet our commitments,” he said. Eligible families which could construct additional rooms would be permitted to do so and rules had been liberalised in this direction.
Special Package to ITDA areas
The Chief Minister said that the Government was particular about the tribals living in agency areas who did not get their due in the previous housing schemes. “Housing for tribes in ITDA areas will be taken up as a special package over and above the 3,500 houses sanctioned for each assembly constituency. The move is to instil confidence in them that the Government works for their welfare,” Mr. Revanth Reddy said.
He accused the previous BRS Government for neglecting housing to weaker sections claiming that the BRS leaders were interested in accumulating their properties rather than the public welfare. This could be seen from the fact that the 2BHK scheme was set aside, but construction of Pragati Bhavan, Secretariat and party offices were completed expeditiously. “The previous Government did not recognise tribes at all in the implementation of schemes,” he charged.
Published – December 05, 2024 01:53 pm IST
