20K plot owners to get Rs 3-lakh aid

Hyderabad: The State Government is finalising modalities for implementing the promised Rs 3-lakh financial assistance to plot owners who belong to low-income families for construction of houses.

Initially, about 20,000 people are likely to be benefitted by the end of the current financial year. The government had planned to cover four lakh people under this scheme.

This proposal will be presented before the cabinet which is scheduled to meet on December 10. Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao had announced this scheme at a public meeting in Mahbubnagar recently. It will be implemented within two weeks of the cabinet giving its nod.

Under this scheme, financial assistance will be directly deposited into the bank accounts of the beneficiaries soon after completion of the house. The applicants will have to submit local civic authorities' approval for housing and the cost estimation to the implementing agencies.

The scheme will be implemented in the gram panchayats and municipalities. Those who already availed the2 BHK scheme and Indiramma housing scheme are not eligible for the new scheme. The beneficiaries will have to adhere to the standards prescribed by the government while constructing the house which includes mandated toilets, power connection and use of quality construction material. The local civic authorities will give their approval after visiting the plot for construction of the house.

The government may also put a limit on the total cost of the construction to prevent misuse of the scheme by higher income group people who may use wrong methods to claim the benefits of the scheme.

The authorities said that those who take bank loans and construct small houses may also be included as eligible beneficiaries in the scheme. In such an event, the Rs 3 lakh to be transferred to the beneficiary's account can be adjusted towards loan amount. However, final details would be available after discussions with bankers, sources said.