The Hindu 12.07.2016
Houses for urban poor: Corpn. Council clears beneficiary list
Nearly 500 economically backward people in the city are likely to have a roof above their head before March next.
The Corporation Council on Monday cleared the beneficiary list of 3,166 persons, who have submitted their applications with supporting documents. Houses will be built for the urban poor under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) launched by the Central government.
The housing scheme is being projected as the biggest one being implemented in the city since the Basic Services to the Urban Poor scheme launched under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).
Of the applicants, 73 per cent have their own land where homes would be constructed, 11 per cent live as joint families and 16 per cent live in rented houses.
Under the PMAY scheme, the target is to meet the “housing requirement of urban poor including slum dwellers.”
The rehabilitation of “slum dwellers with participation of private developers using land as a resource, promotion of affordable housing for weaker section through credit-linked subsidy schemes, affordable housing in partnership with public and private sector agencies” are some of the objectives of the project.
The Ministry has envisioned “all-weather single unit or a unit in a multi-storeyed super structure having carpet area of up to 30 square metre with adequate basic civic services and infrastructure services like toilet, water and electricity” for the target group.
While the Central government will spend Rs.47.49 crore, the State government, urban local body (Kochi Corporation) and the beneficiaries together will raise Rs.15.83 crore each for the housing scheme.
Complaints
Several councillors demanded that the anomalies in the first list of beneficiaries should be rectified before sending it to the authorities for approval. The list will have to be submitted to the Centre through the State government. K.J. Antony, the leader of the LDF in the council, demanded that the eligible candidates from the socially marginalised sections should find place in the list.
Replying to the debate, Mayor Soumini Jain said the first list, which was drawn up after a series of deliberations and consultations, shall be forwarded to the authorities. The case of other eligible beneficiaries shall be taken up during the next phase of implementation of the project, she said.
Houses will be built for the urban poor under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana launched by the Central government
