THANJAVUR : The State government has sanctioned allotment of 5,000 concrete houses in the first batch for people affected by the cyclone. Following the Chief Minister’s announcement that one lakh concrete houses would be built for those who lost their houses in the Gaja cyclone, the government has started allotting houses to the cyclone affected districts.
The houses are to be constructed under the Prime Minister Housing Scheme (Rural) and to be implemented by the Rural development department. P Manthrachalam, project director of District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) told Express, “The government has allotted, in the first phase 3,600 houses for the Gaja affected. With already allotted 1,400 odd houses for the district available, a total number of 5,000 houses to be constructed for the Gaja cyclone affected”.
Under the scheme the beneficiaries themselves have to build the houses and `1.7 lakh would be provided by the government. Under the scheme the building materials would be supplied by the rural development department in advance and the amount would be deducted from the amount to be credited to beneficiary account.
“We have already received 1,200 applications from the beneficiaries and sanction letters were given to 700 applicants of which 460 houses are in the most affected areas in the district,” Manthrachalam said.