The Rajiv Avas Yojana (RAY), a scheme for affordable housing in urban areas, would be extended to 8 municipalities and 14 panchayats surrounding the Kochi Corporation.

The scheme is being implemented with the active participation of Centre, state government and civic bodies. Scheme would benefit several families in the district. The civic body would soon start socio-economic survey to identify beneficiaries.

In the first phase, the corporation has already identified 58 colonies within the city limits for implementing the housing project. There are more than 400 colonies within the city area where the project will be implemented in a later stage. Two colonies in the city, Thuruthy and Udaya, have been selected by the civic authorities for the pilot project of RAY.

A city level review and monitoring committee (CLR&MC) has been formed to implement the RAY project.

The committee will advise the civic body on the preparation of Slum Free city Plan of Action (SFOPoA) and for effective utilisation of funds.

Apart from monitoring and reviewing the implementation of project, the committee will also address the grievances and disputes from local bodies.

“The project envisaging ‘slum free India’ aims at redesigning the urban development in such a way to bring the colonies to the mainstream by making them part of the urban development. Homes and other social and physical amenities would be provided as part of the project,” said a top official with the RAY project.

Infrastructural facilities including electricity, drinking water sanitation, solid waste management, drains, and roads also will be part of the scheme, he said.