5 lakh more houses would be ready by Ugadi, followed by 87,000 by June: Isnformation and public relations minister Kolusu Parthasaradhi
VIJAYAWADA: Housing, information and public relations minister Kolusu Parthasaradhi said the coalition government plans to complete 15.59 lakh houses in five years, of which 3 lakh have already been finished. The remaining 12.59 lakh will be completed over the next four years, he said.
Addressing the media at the Secretariat in Velagapudi on Tuesday, the minister said 5 lakh more houses would be ready by Ugadi, followed by 87,000 by June. As per Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s directive, house-warming ceremonies would be conducted once every three months, he said. Under PMAY-1.0, the Centre has extended the deadline by a year, enabling the state to complete 3.03 lakh pending houses by December.
Outlining the housing targets, Parthasaradhi said the state must complete 8.87 lakh houses under PMAY-1.0, 91,000 under PMAY-2.0 Urban, and 5.81 lakh under PMAY-Gramin. So far, 3.47 lakh applications have been received through the Awas Yojana app.
The minister said the present government had completed 3.19 lakh houses in 16 months, whereas the previous regime built only 6 lakh houses in five years. He accused the former administration of cancelling 4.7 lakh sanctioned homes under the NTR Housing Scheme and withholding ₹920 crore for 2.7 lakh completed houses, “causing injustice” to SC, ST, BC and EBC families.
He said surveys had identified 81,000 families needing house sites, while 1.15 lakh families living on government or poramboke land would be issued position certificates. Twin houses with common walls would be permitted for joint families under a forthcoming order. Additional assistance of ₹3,200 crore had been sanctioned for SC, ST, BC and PVTG beneficiaries, while minorities would receive ₹50,000 in extra support.
On irregularities, Parthasaradhi cited a vigilance report against Rockrete Construction Company, which allegedly abandoned 47,850 of the 50,402 houses allotted, causing losses of ₹80 crore. Recovery proceedings and legal action have been initiated, he said.
