Kochi: Kerala High Court has held that fund under Rajiv Awas Yojana Scheme meant for the marginalised sections of the society, particularly for the rehabilitation of the slum dwellers, should not go down the drain either by passage of time or by escalation of costs. The court asked the State to do the needful for the immediate commencement of the work by taking further action from the stage at which it has now reached. The court also asked the state to file an action taken report as an affidavit.
The court issued the order while considering a petition filed by Sunrise Kochi, an NGO, which challenged the inaction of authorities in the construction of two flats under the Rajiv Awas Yojana Scheme for housing 398 homeless families residing in slums in Mattanchery. The petitioners submitted that Central Government formulated the Rajiv Awas Yojana Scheme solely with a view of rehabilitating the slum dwellers providing them habitable accommodation and meaningful life.
Petitioner contended that the Union Government would not pay any amount after December 2016. It is further submitted that the project is to be completed by March, 2017. Urban Housing Mission director, in an order dated June 7, 2016, had already directed the Kochi Corporation to take speedy steps to commence and complete the construction in a time- bound manner. The said order was issued taking note of the pathetic pace of progress of the project, the petitioner contended.
