HYDERABAD: The state government has decided to introduce online payments to the beneficiaries Talking with reporters at the Secretariat on Monday, minister for housing N Uttam Kumar Reddy said the housing department requested all eligible beneficiaries to open bank accounts so that the government could directly transfer the allocated funds to them online. It would bring down large-scale corruption being resorted to by middlemen and others, he said.
“We have revamped the entire payment system to make it online to avoid middlemen and ensure transparency,’’ the minister said after a district-wise review of housing schemes was taken up from February 29 to March 31 with MPs, MLAs and other elected representatives and officials to streamline the Indiramma Housing Scheme which was launched in 2007.
The minister said housing staff would be provided with laptops, mobile phones and Internet connectivity for effective functioning of online payment system and to keep tabs on the staff from the headquarters, and warned that stern action would be taken against corrupt officials. Further, the government decided to decentralise the functioning of the Andhra Pradesh State Housing Corporation. District collectors and project directors will be empowered to attend to the complaints of beneficiaries at their level without referring to the head office.
Norms on size of houses were relaxed and payments will be made to the beneficiaries as per the scheme even if houses were bigger than the stipulated 250 sq.ft. The government has also decided to release payments to allottees even in the case of houses with common walls.
Since the inception of the Indiramma Housing scheme in 2007, Uttam Kumar said, 38.84 lakh houses have been built. In the last financial year 2011-12, about 5.26 lakh houses have been completed and construction of 10.29 lakh houses is under progress. Of those, nearly six lakh houses were sanctioned during the Rachabanda programme, the minister said.
The government sanctioned Rs 239 crore for providing power and water supply in Indiramma Housing layouts from the housing budget. A toll- free number, 1100, is in operation to receive complaints and special officers have been appointed to look into complaints and monitoring unit units to deal with vigilance cases and complaints.