By Our Staff Reporter
Dehradun, 5 Dec: With the cost of construction as well as land rising in the country very sharply, it is becoming increasingly difficult for the weaker sections of society to have a roof over their heads. To address this, the Uttarakhand Housing Development Council and MDDA have claimed that they are constructing about 16,000 affordable houses for families of the weaker income group in the state.
Commenting on this development, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has implemented the PM Housing Scheme, focusing on the goal of Antyodaya section of the society. Under this scheme, homeless families are being given permanent houses. He added that the Housing Development Authority in Uttarakhand has played an important role in achieving this goal.
The government has claimed that Uttarakhand Housing Development Council is working on its housing projects for the first time since the state was formed. The council is preparing 15 projects with private investors, which include a total of 12,856 houses. The five other projects are also being developed by various development authorities, with a total of 3,104 houses being constructed through these authorities. Additional Commissioner, Housing, PC Dumka has shared that 1,760 houses have already been built with private participation and handed over to beneficiaries, while 14,635 houses have also been allotted. The target is to complete all remaining projects by March 2025.
Under the scheme, private investors build houses with facilities like two rooms, a kitchen, and a toilet at a cost of six lakh rupees. Of this amount, three and a half lakh rupees come from various schemes of the central and state governments. This way, the beneficiary gets a house through an easy home loan at a cost of just two and a half lakh rupees. All construction expenses, including land, are borne by the private investor. Homeless families with an annual income of less than three lakh rupees are eligible for this scheme. Additionally, the eligible family must have been a resident of Uttarakhand before 15 June 2015.
Under the scheme, projects of 224 flats in Mussoorie Dehradun Development Authority (MDDA) Transport Nagar and 240 flats in Tarla Amwala have been completed, while 240 flats in Dhaulas will be ready by March 2025. MDDA Vice President Banshidhar Tiwari has claimed that the beneficiaries for the project have been selected transparently. The keys to the flats will be handed over within the stipulated time.
