VIJAYAWADA: There has been a gradual increase in the number of beneficiaries opting for the One Time Settlement (OTS) scheme. Till Thursday, 8.46 lakh beneficiaries availed the scheme, according to data available with the housing department.The government rolled out the scheme, under which 52 lakh beneficiaries have been identified, to provide the residents permanent rights over houses constructed under different programmes from 1983 to 2011.
The twin Godavari districts topped the table with more than one lakh beneficiaries opting for the scheme. While 1.17 lakh enrolled in East Godavari district, 1.05 lakh opted for the OTS in West Godavari. Kadapa stood at the bottom of the table as only 20,579 beneficiaries had enrolled till Thursday.
The officials said that there was a good response from the beneficiaries who can pass down the property to their next generations as an asset, can avail bank loans or sell the property at market price without any hiccups once they get the registered title.Except in areas where the land cost is too low, like in tribal habitations, all the remaining beneficiaries will be enrolled in the scheme as the government is providing them the land rights at a nominal cost, they added.
Out of the total 51.85 lakh beneficiaries, 40 lakh who availed loans from the AP Housing Board Corporation and are yet to clear the dues can opt for the scheme by paying Rs 10,000 in villages, Rs 15,000 in municipalities and Rs 20,000 in municipal corporations. People who constructed houses in the government allotted lands on their own can avail the registration by paying just Rs 10.
Housing Minister Ch Sri Ranganatha Raju told TNIE that beneficiaries will come forward to avail the Jagananna Sampoorna Gruha Hakku in the days to come as the government has set Ugadi (April 2) the deadline. “As there are more than three months for the deadline to end, we are hoping that a majority of the beneficiaries will enrol for the scheme,” he said.The minister asserted that the government will not force anyone to register themselves.