BENGALURU: Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday said that special emphasis is being given to build one lakh houses in Bengaluru, as part of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban Mission.
Speaking during his inspection of development work in the city, he said that 52,000 of the houses have already been built, and the rest will come up soon. In all, 1,588 people living in slums were provided housing in the completed houses in Rajarajeshwari Nagar.
Bommai also said that 5,000 acres of land are being earmarked to build houses for the poor and needy in the state. Efforts are being made to build as many as 5 lakh houses, as well as increase amounts paid to those from Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe backgrounds from Rs1.75 lakh to Rs 2 lakh.
He said efforts were being made to eradicate issues of poverty and homelessness in the state, with lack of housing gradually becoming a bigger problem due to population growth.
The chief minister also said a plan was being drawn up for the overall development of Bengaluru, including road development and to accommodate the large number of people living in the city. He said seizure of houses built illegally would commence with a special task force being formed, with poor people found residing in such houses would be provided an alternative.
In addition, he said that Rs 3,000 crore has been set aside for road development and another Rs1,600 crore for the development of rajakaluves. He also said that the government must give more emphasis to development work rather than politics, and that many promised projects, including the Peripheral Ring Road and various Metro line works, will be completed soon.