Centre approves housing for poor in Amaravati
VIJAYAWADA: The Centre has approved the state government’s plan to build about 47, 000 houses in Amaravati for weaker sections. The Centre will grant Rs.1.8 lakh for each housing unit under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY).
The development is significant as Union home minister Amit Shah and BJP national president J P Nadda had slammed the YSRCP government during their visit to the state last month. The clearance has come despite objections from TDP MPs and YSRCP rebel MP, Raghurama Krishnam Raju.
According to sources, the government has decided to launch the construction works on July 8, marking the birth anniversary of the late chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy. The houses willl be completed in six months before the next elections are due. The state had requested the Centre to grant 50,000 housing units under PMAY.
The Central Sanctioning and Monitoring Committee (CSMC) of the urban housing and poverty alleviation ministry after going through Detailed Project Report (DPR) stamped its nod on Monday.
The state government allotted house sites to 51,000 families in R-5 zone amid legal battles by local farmers and TDP leaders. The government disbursed housing plots to the poor from CRDA limits after getting the issue cleared by the AP high court.
Subsequently, the Supreme Court refused to grant stay on disbursement of house sites when the Land Pool Scheme farmers filed a petition.
Government to build houses on its own in Amaravati
The farmers argued that the government created R-5 zone by bringing amendments to the CRDA master plan.
The government said the master plan mentioned granting of 5 per cent of the total extent to the housing of weaker sections and the present allocation, 1170 acres, was only around 1.5 per cent of the total capital city master plan extent.
Although beneficiaries of YSR-Jagananna housing colonies were made to build their houses, the government has decided to build all houses in Amaravati on its own in order to ensure speedy completion. The government is planning to switch to shear wall technology to complete the works as per deadline before December.