HYDERABAD: Roads & Buildings and Housing Minister Vemula Prasanth Reddy said that the construction of 2BHK houses for the poor had an impact on Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP). During a debate on housing demand, in the State Legislative Assembly on Monday, the minister said that the construction of 2BHK houses benefited industries like brick manufacturing and others.
As the government spent nearly Rs 7,000 crore on the housing scheme, it helped the economy to further grow. The minister said that around 50,000 building workers are being employed every year in 2BHK housing programme in GHMC area and another 27,000 in rural areas.
Prasanth Reddy said that all the private builders put together created six to eight crore square metres of residential space in the last three years in the GHMC area. But the State government’s Housing Department alone created six to seven crore square feet residential area. Explaining the status of the 2BHK housing programme, Prasanth Reddy said that the government decided to construct 2.82 lakh houses, out of which tendering process was completed for 1.99 lakh houses.
“Of which construction on 1.79 lakh houses was started. While 90 per cent works on 96,000 houses have been completed so far, around 34,000 houses have already been completed,” Prasanth Reddy said.The minister said that as against the total cost of Rs 18,100 crore for the construction of 2.82 lakh houses, the government has already spent Rs 6,972 crore. The remaining amount would be spent in the next six months and the construction of houses would be completed soon.
ST reservations
The House also debated demands relating to social welfare, tribal welfare, BC welfare, minority welfare and women, child and disabled welfare.BC Welfare Minister Gangula Kamalakar said despite economic slowdown, the State government has not reduced the funds for midday meal scheme, scholarships and other essential needs of the students. Participating in the debate, TRS MLA Ravindra Kumar requested the government to exert pressure on the Central government for the enhancement of ST reservations to 9.8 per cent.