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Slum Development / Housing

1,660 houses for Adi Dravida families wait for allotment

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The New Indian Express     06.08.2013 

1,660 houses for Adi Dravida families wait for allotment

Houses constructed under the Adi Dravida Scheme, awaiting allotment at Korkad, Puducherry | G Pattabiraman
Houses constructed under the Adi Dravida Scheme, awaiting allotment at Korkad, Puducherry | G Pattabiraman

It has been two years since 1,660 houses have been constructed for poor Adi Dravida families in the rural areas of Puducherry, but the beneficiaries are yet to be allotted the houses.

The houses were constructed in 17 scheduled Caste-dominated localities at an estimated cost of `83 crore by availing of loans from HUDCO to provide houses to Adi Dravida families, living below the poverty line, with concrete houses.

In fact, the government had spent `5 lakh to construct each house. But as on date only cows can be seen resting on the verandah of the newly constructed houses.

Officials state that the houses could not be allocated due to lack of infrastructure. The electricity and  water connections are yet to be provided in many houses, while in some other places approach roads have to be constructed. 

Around Rs 17 crore has been sanctioned to complete the work, said the Director of Adi Dravida Welfare department Panneerselvam.

However, it is believed that the infrastructural issues have not been addressed due to fund crunch faced by Puducherry government.

Citing another reason for the delay, Lenin from the Agricultural Labourers Association attached to CPI-ML said the AINRC government is not taking any initiative to hand over the houses owing to political reasons.

As the houses had been constructed during the Congress rule under V Vaithilingam, the present government does not have any interest in providing the funds for completion of the project and handing it over to the beneficiaries. This has led to delay, he  said.

While AINRC government had announced a housing subsidy of `4 lakh per beneficiary from Adi Dravida BPL families to construct houses by raising it from `2 lakh at present, the Congress government had constructed the houses by spending a high amount of `5 lakh each.

However, the department assures to begin the process of handing over the houses by month end.

Verification of beneficiary list is going on and it would be ready by month end, says  Director of Adi Dravida Welfare Scheme.

Thereafter the houses would be allotted in a phased manner, he said.

As per the housing scheme, 80 per cent of the houses would be allotted to familes belonging to Scheduled Caste and 20 percent of the remaining houses would be allotted to backward class people.

 

Slum Clearance Board to rope in pvt player for multi-storeyed building

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Business Line                14.06.2013

Slum Clearance Board to rope in pvt player for multi-storeyed building

The Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board has decided to rope in a private player to construct a multi-storey building in the heart of Chennai. This is the first such project to be taken up in Tamil Nadu.

The department will give 32.95 grounds (one ground is 2,400 sq ft) of land available with it on Anna Salai, Nandanam, for developing the building.

The tentative project cost is expected to be around Rs 120 crore.

The concession period is likely to be for 30 years. The potential concessionaire will be chosen through a two-stage competitive bidding process under the private-public-partnership (PPP) mode.

Being the first time, the department does not want to take any chances. It will first get views of the potential investors before finalising the bid documents by inviting them to participate in an Expression of Interest.

The potential concessionaires will get an opportunity to share their views on the possible model for the proposed development to make the project attractive to the stakeholders. The department said that the PPP approach is more likely to prove attractive as the project is of a reasonable size involving creation of new infrastructure at huge investments. It had appointed Tamil Nadu Urban Infrastructure Financial Services Ltd (TNUIFSL) as transaction adviser to conceptualise the project and examining its techno-financial feasibility. The TNUIFSL said that the project is viable to be taken up in the PPP mode and can attract private investments.

The Board has constructed an office complex utilising an area of 6.78 grounds on stilts with four floors above. It is presently used by the Tamil Nadu Urban Finance & Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd and TN Power Finance. However, the department has now proposed to construct a commercial-cum-office complex in the entire area of 32.95 grounds demolishing the existing building.

It is also proposed to utilise the available premium FSI along with the allowable FSI allowed as per CMDA norms under Second Master Plan considering the prevailing huge land cost in that area.

The concessionaire has to hand over 20.56 per cent of the area developed to the Board and shall generate revenue from the remaining area. The concessionaire has to demolish the existing building in the site, only after completing the entire construction and putting it to use.

The implementation of the project will result in improved price realisation for the construction and will create direct and indirect employment opportunities.

Last Updated on Friday, 14 June 2013 09:58
 

Pg 7/ 08maycan03hudco

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The Hindu                  10.05.2013

Pg 7/ 08maycan03hudco

HUDCO reduces lending rates.

Housing and Urban Development Corporation Ltd (HUDCO) has announced a reduction in its lending rates for government and public sector borrowers for various housing and infrastructure development projects from May 1.

With this reduction, the economically weaker section and low income group category housing projects would get loans from HUDCO at 8 per cent to 8.5 per cent. The reduction also includes land acquisition for housing purposes, says an official release.

 


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