HON’BLE MINISTER(HOUSING)PRESS CONFERENCE
HELD ON 4.1.2012, AFTER PDs (HOUSING)CONFERENCE.
Sri Kanna Laxminarayana, Hon’ble Minister for Housing has conducted a review meeting with all the Project Directors (Housing) and Special Officers on implementation of Housing Programme in the state in the meeting hall of AP State Housing Corporation Limited. Sri Manmohan Singh, IAS, Principal Secretary to Govt., Housing Department and Sri N.K. Prasad, IAS, Managing Director, AP State Housing Corporation Limited were present. In the press conference, Hon’ble Minsiter(Housing) has stated:
3.36 lakh houses have been completed during this year upto December 2011 against the target of 5 lakh houses.
As on date, there are 12.55 lakh houses at different stages of construction; of which 6.34 lakh houses are at Lintel Level and Roof Level.Instructions were issued to the Project Directors that atleast 3 lakh of these 6.34 lakh houses at LL and RL level should be completed during this year.
The unit cost of houses have been increased to Rs.45,000/- in rural areas and Rs.55,000/- in urban areas. Similarly, for Project Displaced Families, IAY was sanctioned and unit cost increased to Rs.98,000/-.
In addition, SC/ST beneficiaries were given an additional amount of Rs.20,000/- in rural areas and Rs.30,000/- in urban areas by the Government. The PDs were directed to focus on the SC/ST houses for early completion.
PDs were further directed to focus on the 6.34 lakh houses at LL and RL level, especially the 3.5 lakh houses which have not progressed for more than one year for various reasons. The PDs are requested to make beneficiary-wise analysis and see that they are pushed forward by arranging bridge loan and organizing masons, material and centering etc.
So far, payments of Rs.1642.46 crores aremade to the beneficiaries in the last nine months. It is emphasized that all the genuine beneficiaries shall be paid full amount into their beneficiary account without any delay.
Payments must be released to beneficiaries within 10 days.
The Hon’ble Minister issued categorical instructions that the Asst.Engineers and Dy.EE shall not stop payments at their level, and in case of doubt on eligibility, they shallreport the matter to PD for taking a decision as per orders of Collector. No payment shall be held back at Asst.Engineer or Dy.Executive Engineer level.
PDs were instructed to closely monitor the movement of Asst.Engineers and see that they visit each colony in the Mandal atleast once in a fortnight necessarily.
The Hon’ble Minister has expressed the importance of providing infrastructure in all the layout colonies for providing water supply and electricity in all these colonies by the year end.
It is proposed to electrify 2,108 colonies estimated at Rs.77.30 crores in the state. Detailed estimates are received from DISCOMs for 1,533 layouts. The PDs are requested to see that all the estimates are received and the necessary releases are made to the DISCOMs within seven days of sanction for early completion of electrification work.
It is proposed to provide water supply in 1,184 layouts at an estimate of Rs.44.62 crores, which are close to villages by extending the PWS schemes. The PDs have been directed to contact the SE(RWS) of the district and send estimates to E-in-C(RWS) at the earliest for sanction and execution by RWS Department.
In respect of 1,082 colonies where the colonies are away from the village, it is proposed to provide new PWS schemes at an estimated cost of Rs.92.50 crores which will be sanctioned from the Housing Department. The PDs are requested to prepare the estimates immediately and send for sanction and execution.
The PDs are requested to send the proposals of providing approach/connectivity roads to the colonies in rural areas from MGNREGS to the District Collectors for sanction and execution under MGNREGS at the district level.
The list of 2.76 lakh ineligible beneficiaries has been made available in the Housing Corporation website. The same may be circulated to all the peoples’ representatives and the list may be displayed in the Gram Panchayats.
During the years 2007-08 and 2008-09, payments were released to the beneficiaries through Village Organizations(VOs). Some VOs are yet to submit acquittances. The PDs are instructed to see that the un-disbursed amounts by the VOs shall be verified in a time bound manner. In case of any misappropriation noticed by the VO, the same may be brought to the notice of District Collector for taking further action against the VO. Eligible beneficiaries who have not received payments will be made special releases so that no eligible beneficiary is denied payment.
Similarly, there are some houses at BBL stage who were issued cement but subsequently found ineligible. The PDs have been directed to get them verified and take necessary action.
For the people who do not have house sites, Government has commenced an Action Plan for acquisition of house sites for the poor through Social Welfare Department with plan for acquisition of 2.2 lakh house sites during 2011-12 and 2012-13.
In the year 2012-13, the Housing Department has proposed to complete 6 lakh houses, plus additional 4 lakh houses, with a budget of Rs.2855 crores.
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