Housing sector gets Rs.5,773-cr booster

In its unfailing quest to build sufficient housing stock for the needy, the government recently approved the construction of 117,814 more affordable houses for urban poor under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) in six states at an investment of Rs. 5,773cr. With the latest clearance, the total number of affordable homes sanctioned under PMAY (Urban) so far has gone up to 1,760,507, with a total investment of Rs. 96,018-cr and central assistance of Rs. 27,714cr, claimed official sources, adding that Minister of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation, M Venkaiah Naidu has also directed officials to ensure that houses sanctioned are to be constructed quickly. Karnataka has sanctioned 31,424 new houses in 234 cities and towns, with Rs. 1,222-cr approved as project cost and Rs.518-cr as central assistance. Around 30,247 homes have been approved under the beneficiary led construction (BLC) component and 1,177 houses under affordable housing in partnership component. While the state government in Kerala has sanctioned 11,480 new housing units across 19 cities, he claimed.