Odisha government announces new housing scheme
BHUBANESWAR: On the fourth anniversary of his current five-year term, chief minister Naveen Patnaik-led cabinet on Monday cleared a new rural housing scheme ‘Mo Ghara’ targeting those left out in Central and state schemes.
The government plans to spend Rs 2,150 crore over the next two years benefitting four lakh families under the scheme, strategically timed ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha and state assembly elections due in less than a year. The application process will start from June 16.
Briefing the media after the cabinet cleared the scheme, panchayati raj minister Pradip Amat said the lower income and lower middle income group of families, with monthly income below Rs 25,000, who were left out in the existing housing schemes due to stringent eligibility criteria or due to insufficient allocation will benefit from the new scheme. “The government is committed to ensure left out kutcha houses into pucca houses on priority,” he said.
Families who had received housing assistance of smaller amount in the past and now wants to upgrade or expand their houses can also use the new scheme, he said.
Eligible beneficiaries can take loans up to Rs 3 lakh under the credit linked scheme with capital subsidy, fully funded from the state budget. The government will bear interests ranging from Rs 30,000 to Rs 70,000 for different amount of loan starting from Rs one lakh. Vulnerable sections such as SCs, STs and households led by persons with disabled will get higher rebates.
While banks will not charge processing fee for sanction of the loan under ‘Mo Ghara,’ the government will waive off registration fee and stamp duties required during mortgage of tittle deed and reimburse legal consultation fee, which has been standardised to maximum Rs 1000 per applicant.
The applicant needs to have clear homestead land tittle for applying loan under this scheme and have to invest a minimum of 10% of loan amount as margin money either in cash or kind or labour.
Housing aid has emerged as a significant political battleground between the BJP and BJD, with the two parties vigorously showcasing their achievements to showcase people’s support. Currently, people in villages get housing aid under central scheme Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana (Grameen) besides state’s Biju Pucca Ghar Yojana, Pucca Ghar Yojana (Mining) and Nirman Shramik Pucca Ghar Yojana. Official sources said total 30.13 lakh houses have been built under these schemes.