People constructing houses in Jagananna Colonies should be provided job cards for a minimum of 28 days under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), Bapatla Collector Vijaya Krishnan has said.
This measure can provide relief to those beneficiaries who are finding it difficult to spend ₹30,000 on raising the basements of houses. The Prime Minister Awas Yojana entails a grant of ₹1.50 lakh to each beneficiary, but the rising construction cost has slowed down its implementation in urban areas, she said.
Owning a house remains a dream of every person and the district administration should ground as many houses as possible. In Bapatla, 7,254 beneficiaries have been chosen, the Collector said after conducting a review meeting on the scheme.
“I want the engineering and housing departments to focus on completing houses as per the target. I find many beneficiaries not willing to go ahead owing to lack of awareness. Once they start grounding the houses and put up the basement, the remaining work will follow,” said the Collector.
Earlier in the day, the Collector conducted a surprise inspection of the girls’ social welfare hostel at Haier Pet in Chirala and interacted with the students.
Joint Collector K. Srinivasulu, DRDA Project Director Arjuna Rao, District Panchayat Officer Suresh were present on the occasion.