Pics: Justin D’Silva
Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (HB)
Udupi, Jan 8: Karnataka Housing minister V Somanna laid the foundation stone for the housing project at Herga village on Wednesday, January 8.
The sanctioned project under Karnataka Slum Development Board, CMC and district administration has ground plus 3 floors in every block and a total of 460 apartments.
“The government is committed to provide houses for 4 lac poor people, over a period of 2 years. I will grant all additional housing proposals in days to come. I will approve 1,000 apartments as an extension to this project. The annual income criterion has been raised from Rs 75,000 to Rs 3 lac. The needy are eligible to get a house under slum board. I wish Udupi becomes a district, where no one is homeless. The funds to beneficiaries will be distributed through zilla panchayat CEO in rural areas and District administration in rural areas,” he said.
“The housing department has taken up the commitment of building 43,000 houses in the state. This year, 39,000 houses are already under construction,” he said.
A new project will come up in Udupi at the cost of Rs 4 lac. “I request the beneficiaries to not sell the houses. We will provide facilities here. Every department should work transparently. The earlier government did not make use of union government schemes. Whatever be the cost, I will ensure that government sanctions funds for housing projects. If any loopholes in construction or misuse of schemes, strict action will be taken,” the Housing minister warned.
Home minister Basavaraj Bommai said, “Providing house for all in urban areas by 2022 is a dream of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Everyone harbours a dream of owning a house. This can be made possible with mutual effort and coordination by different institutions.”
Shobha Karandlaje, MP, Udupi-Chikkamagaluru said that Udupi has 17 officially announced slum areas. When compared to Bengaluru, Udupi is in a much better condition. Everyone wants to own a house. The government is aiming to fulfill this dream, she said.
Udupi MLA Raghupathi Bhat, proposed to release additional fund of Rs 6.50 crore for the STP, drainage system. This project will be completed by May 2021. A MoU has been signed between KSDB, CMC and Bank of Baroda. Bankers are also ready to provide financial information to the people, he said.
Dinkar Babu, president zilla panchayat, Sheela K Shetty, vice president, G Jagadeesha, district commissioner, Anand Kallolikar, CMC Commissioner, Vijaya Lakshmi, Salarenbettu ward Councillor, P R Shivaprasad, commissioner KSDB and others were present.