Andhra Pradesh Urban Citizens Forum (APUCF) members visited the houses that were constructed by the Township and Infrastructure Development Corporation (TIDCO) at Jakkampudi near here on Friday.
On the occasion, APUCF State convener Ch. Babu Rao said that the previous government had sanctioned 28,152 houses but tenders were invited only for 10,624 houses. Of this, construction of only 8,496 houses had begun. The government was able to complete 80% of the work on 8,496 houses, and around 20,000 houses were cancelled.
Across the State, five lakh houses were sanctioned and two lakh houses were cancelled. Work on 2,92,019 houses was not completed. The State government owed an explanation to the people on the incomplete TIDCO houses, he said.
Mr. Babu Rao alleged that the delay in the handing over of houses was causing hardships to the beneficiaries. The beneficiaries, who paid ₹50,000 to ₹1 lakh four years ago for the houses, were receiving notices from the banks to repay the loan amount. The government could hand over houses to the poor where there were no legal hurdles, he said.
Referring to the Jagananna Colonies, Mr. Babu Rao said that the government assured people that 30 lakh houses would be built. In the first phase, 15 lakh houses were supposed to be built but only a few were completed after the laying of foundation stone. Only two years were left for the government to complete its term and it is high time that it completed the houses, he said.