Housing scheme gets Rs.1,450-cr booster

In an attempt to make available housing units for the homeless across region, the state government in Andhra Pradesh has decided to fast-track the 'housing for all' scheme. The government, which spent little on the housing scheme in the last 30 months, upped the budgetary grant to Rs. 1,450-cr this year with a view to kick-starting construction in a big way, claimed sources, elaborating that the government is planning to rope in top builders to achieve the target ahead of the schedule. Work on 2.5 lakh houses in the rural areas and another 1.1 lakh houses in the urban areas will be taken up simultaneously. Municipal Administration Minister, P Narayana said, claiming that the identification of beneficiaries in the urban areas has been completed and works will be launched shortly. Houses in the urban areas would be taken up in three modules. While group housing will be taken up for the landless poor, work will be taken up by an agency nominated by the government where the beneficiaries own small extent of house sites.