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Slum Development / Housing

Civic body survey of 35% slums complete

Monday, 13 May 2013 12:12 administrator
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The Times of India               13.05.2013

Civic body survey of 35% slums complete

AURANGABAD: The Aurangabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has completed more than 35% of the survey of the city's slums as part of the first phase of the Rajiv Awas Yojna (RAY).

AMC executive engineer Sikandar Ali on Sunday said the rest of the survey would be completed in the next six months. "As part of the Rajiv Awas Yojana, the government conducts a socio-economic survey of slum dwellers. Other procedures carried out include the issuance of biometric identity cards, generation of web-enabled database, development of maps and preparation of slum rehabilitation plans. The government will plan a housing scheme for slum dwellers after all the other procedures are completed," Ali said.

He also said that more than one lakh houses will be required to accommodate the four lakh citizens who are below the poverty line in Aurangabad city. From the total population of 13 lakh, around 30 to 35 % stay in slums. RAY is a central government scheme aimed at making cities free of slums.

Ali said municipal commissioner Harshdeep Kamble was supervising the survey was initiated in January 2013. He added that two AMC appointed agencies - Seema Consultants and Arc Associates — are conducting the survey.

"The survey is only one part of the ambitious project of the Union government. It will take around five years to complete the project. In the initial phase we are collecting the information of households in all the 53 slum areas in the city. We have covered almost 80 % of the households in these areas and the remaining 20 % households will be covered in eight to ten days. In the next phase, all households in the undeclared 118 city slums will be covered," Ali added.

Quazi Noor of Seema Consultants said that around 100 surveyors were deployed for the job. In addition to this, municipal ward representatives are also supporting the cause," he said.

Amit Bhuigal, a ward representative, organized a survey camp in his municipal ward in Labour Colony on Sunday. He said around three slum dwellers had provided details as per requirements. "We will conduct camps at many public places to encourage residents for the scheme," he said.

The government had sanctioned a fund of Rs 7.5 crore for the survey out of which the municipality has received Rs 1.36 crore. Sikandar Ali said the second installment would soon be released by the government.

The survey is only one part of the ambitious project of the Union government. It will take around five years to complete the project.

 

Hudco slashes lending rates

Sunday, 12 May 2013 00:00 administrator
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The New Indian Express               12.05.2013

Hudco slashes lending rates

Housing and Urban Development Corporation Ltd (Hudco) effected a significant reduction in its lending rates for government and public sector borrowers for various housing and infrastructure development projects. A reduction of 25 basis points has been effected in respect of its entire housing portfolio covering economically weaker sections, low income groups, middle income groups and all other categories of housing. With this reduction, the EWS and LIG 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.

The interest rates have been reduced for core infrastructure projects also covering water supply, sewerage, drainage, solid waste management, urban/city roads and social infrastructure.

The rates fore core infrastructure projects are around 10.25 per cent. Integrated township development projects also quality for reduced rates. Significantly, Hudco has so far supported taking up of over 1.5 crore   housing units in the country with over 94 per cent benefiting the economically weaker section and low income groups. Hudco has also supported over 1700 urban infrastructure projects throughout the country.

The lending rates for individual borrowers was reduced to 9.95 per cent (floating) for loan up to Rs 25 lakh and 10.15 per cent (floating) for loans above Rs 25 lakh. Further, a significant reduction was also effected for lending bulk loans to government or public agencies for providing HBA to their employees at 9.95 per cent (floating) and the bulk loan for HFCs promoted by government banks, public agencies and government FIs at a revised rate of 10 per cent (floating) The interest rates reduction makes Hudco one of the organisations charging lowest and most competitive lender in retail housing market. This would enable Hudco, which is already financing one in every 15 houses in the country, to enhance its outreach further.

 

Indiramma housing unit cost raised

Wednesday, 08 May 2013 05:42 administrator
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The Hindu                08.05.2013

Indiramma housing unit cost raised

Rs. 105-crore bail-out package for Rajiv Swagruha Corporation.

The unit cost under Indiramma housing programme has been enhanced for open category (upper castes) and Backward Classes from Rs 45,000 to Rs 70,000 in rural areas and from Rs 55,000 to Rs 80,000 in urban areas, including Nagara Panchayats.

Proposals submitted to this effect by the Housing Department were approved by Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy while reviewing the issues relating to housing and Rajiv Swagruha Corporation here on Tuesday.

Infra facilities on priority

Housing Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy later told reporters that the unit cost for the SC/ST Indiramma beneficiaries had already been raised to Rs 1 lakh and Rs 1.2 lakh, respectively. Now, infrastructure facilities such as roads and electricity/water supply would be provided to Indiramma SC and ST colonies on a priority basis at a huge cost of Rs 1,050 crore drawn from the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS).

B. Venkatesam, MD, AP State Housing Corporation, sought additional funds required following hike in unit cost for others, while the extra money for the dwelling units of SCs and STs would be provided through their sub-plans.

Probe to be ordered

The Chief Minister agreed to provide an assistance of Rs. 105 crore as part of a bail-out package envisaged to place Rajiv Swagruha Corporation back on the track for its revival. An inquiry would be ordered into the alleged irregularities committed in the corporation to punish those found guilty. As per the recommendations of the Cabinet Sub-Committee on the matter, housing projects taken up at Rayachoti, Kurnool, Anantapur, Rajampet and Chandanagar would be expedited, the Minister said.

Ambitious plan

District-level committees would be constituted headed by joint collectors with Social Welfare deputy directors, and directors of housing projects and DRDA as members, to solve the problems encountered in allotment of house sites to beneficiaries. It would ascertain the extent of land acquired in the past 10 years for distribution as house sites and how much out of this remained unused now.

Mr Uttam Kumar Reddy said in line with the target fixed earlier, over 8.64 lakh houses would be constructed this year in the State.

 
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