The state government instructed line departments to take immediate steps to develop basic infrastructure in the housing layouts in a view to set up housing for all.

This plan would assist the beneficiaries to begin construction of the houses on the plots being distributed over the last two days. In the first step, the state government gave a green signal for the construction of 15 lakh houses. During the next financial year, the development of the remaining 17 lakh houses on the 31 lakh plots will begin.

Govt to Provide Basic Facilities in Housing Units

In the colonies where the houses are to be developed in the first step, the state government has prepared a model home. The beneficiaries were guided to adhere to a model prepared to minimise costs by the housing department. In order to reduce the expense of the housing unit, the housing department has already begun procurement of cement, steel, window frames, fans, lights and synthetic tanks at wholesale prices.

Meanwhile, main infrastructure departments, such as rural water supply (RWS), municipal administration, panchayat raj, and electricity, have been guided to immediately concentrate on infrastructure growth in the related colonies.

Whereas RWS would provide drinking water facilities in rural colonies, the department of municipal administration would take over the colonial works created for the urban poor. Sources said that in order to supply drinking water facilities in the new colonies, the state government had granted its approval for spending Rs 950 crore.

To track the correct location for digging borewells, the RWS department had deputy field engineers. Initially, the water would be supplied via the borewell before the overhead reservoirs were installed. Depending on the housing units coming up in the specific area, the department will create ample numbers of borewells in the colonies. By March 2021, they are planning to build drinking water facilities in about 8000 colonies.

By: Shailaja K