VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has said the distribution of house site pattas will be held on August 15, subject to a favourable ruling by the Supreme Court, and accused the opposition TDP of trying to halt welfare programmes benefiting the people.
“We planned distribution of 30 lakh house site pattas on July 8, but the Opposition has intentionally moved court and we took it to the apex court. We hope that a favourable verdict will come before August 15,” Jagan said, during a review meeting on house site pattas as part of the Spandana video conference held here on Tuesday. “If the house sites are to be given as D-form pattas, they can be given even now, but the government wants to register the house sites in the name of the woman of the household, which will be an asset for them. We are doing things with good intention and hope that the good will prevail,” the Chief Minister said. He said it is the first time that such a mega project of distributing house sites in such a large scale was planned, covering nearly 20 per cent of the population.
Jagan said 62,000 acres of land has been acquired, spending Rs 7,500 crore. The government has even bought lands from private persons, in order to ensure all the beneficiaries get house sites. “In all, the house sites worth Rs 20,000 crores will be distributed. During the previous regime, only 3.5 lakh houses were constructed and in that venture, Rs 1,300 crore was kept pending as dues,” he pointed out.
The previous government planned seven lakh houses under urban housing, but started the works of just three lakh houses. Nearly Rs 3,000 crore is pending in that too. Jagan said his government was determined to go ahead with the house sites scheme and construct 15 lakh houses, as promised. “The work will start within one month after giving the pattas,” the Chief Minister announced.