It’s final, BPL families to get houses for free in state

The government has also decided not to levy water or house tax from the owners of these houses.

The houses will be constructed under the Kanshi Ram Shahri Gharib Awas Yojna. With the construction cost of each house pegged at Rs 1.75 lakh, the government has made the budgetary provision of Rs 500 crore for the scheme and at the same time it has promised to pump more money, if the need arises.

In the first phase of the scheme, 1,500 houses will be constructed in each of the sixty districts that have dense population and 1,000 each in the rest of the districts. The government has assured that the scheme will not face any financial problems and the district administration will get the entire fund before hand.

As per the official information issued by the government, 23 per cent of these houses will be reserved for SC and ST and 27 per cent for the OBC with the rest for the general category.

Making a special provision for people with disability, the government has decided to give only ground floor houses to such persons.

The scheme is restricted to BPL families only and applicants have to attach their BPL certificates along with their application form to avail the benefit. Similarly, other

beneficiaries like homeless widows will also be required to produce documents to be eligible for the scheme.

According to a government estimate, over 10 lakh families at present live in slums, would be largely benefited by this scheme. The government has ensured to provide 10 acres of land in districts where 1,500 houses are to be constructed and seven acres in districts where 1,000 houses will be set up.

The district magistrates have been given the responsibility for arranging the land for the houses. To be built in 35 square metres, each house will have two rooms, kitchen, toilet, bathroom and a balcony.