In a bid to boost housing for the poor, the State government on Thursday decided to provide additional financial assistance of ₹3.5 lakh per house being built under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. About 1.80 lakh houses allotted between 2015 and 2018 are stuck at various stages of construction as beneficiaries were unable to pay their share.
While the Cabinet that met here on Thursday approved ₹500 crore to immediately complete about 48,700 homes that are nearing completion, the rest of the money would be released in stages. “While about 1.80 lakh homes had been allotted, they could not be completed as the beneficiaries failed to pay their share of ₹4.5 lakh. Some have paid varying amounts, but not exceeding a total of ₹1 lakh. Since 2018, not one house could be sanctioned,” Housing Minister B.Z. Zameer Ahmed Khan told presspersons here after the Cabinet meeting.
“In fact, while the beneficiaries had to pay a total of about ₹6,691 crore, a total of ₹110 crore had been received. While earlier beneficiaries had to pay ₹4.5 lakh, they will now have to pay ₹1 lakh. The government will now fund the remaining ₹3.35 lakh besides the ₹1.25 lakh given for general and ₹2 lakh for SC/ST families as financial assistance,” he said. He added that over the next two years, the government intends to complete and hand over 1.80 lakh homes.
