VIJAYAWADA: The State government has decided to spend Rs 15,810 crore on housing in the current financial year as against Rs 10,203 crore in last fiscal. At a review meeting chaired by Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy at his camp office in Tadepalli, officials informed him that the expenditure being made by the Andhra Pradesh government on housing is more than the annual budget of some smaller States. Making it clear that there should be no compromise on quality, Jagan directed the officials to develop better infrastructure in Jagananna housing colonies.
Informing that 3,40,741 houses have been completed and 4,67,551 units are nearing completion under the housing scheme for the poor, the officials said they are taking all measures to ensure quality in construction.
Taking stock of the construction of TIDCO houses, Jagan instructed the housing department officials to counter the Opposition campaign on TIDCO houses and send across the message to the people that the government has spent over Rs 21,000 crore so far on their construction.
He said false propaganda is being carried out by the Opposition TDP, which abandoned construction of TIDCO houses for the poor midway through its rule. The present government is completing the construction of TIDCO houses on a priority basis and handing them over to beneficiaries along with basic infrastructure, he said.
The officials should lay the facts before the people so they will not be carried away by the vicious propaganda of the Opposition, he said, adding that emphasis should also be laid on the development of basic amenities, including drainage, in Jagananna colonies.
Explaining the difference between the previous TDP regime and the present government pertaining to construction of TIDCO houses, the officials told him that Rs 21,000 crore was spent in the last 45 months as against Rs 8,723.08 crore expenditure incurred by the TDP regime during its tenure.
The present government spent over Rs 482 crore as it has given 50% concession in payments made by beneficiaries in the TDP regime, besides providing a benefit of Rs 12,011 crore through free registration to an additional 2.62 lakh beneficiaries and arranging Rs 1,875 crore bank loans with tie-up with banks. It also spent Rs 9,044 crore on HUDCO loan repayment and construction of houses and provision of basic infrastructure.
There were no registrations of TIDCO houses from 2015 to 2019. Contrary to it, 1,55,673 houses were registered and 48,172 houses were handed over to beneficiaries in the last 45 months, the officials said, adding that houses would be handed over to another 1.50 lakh beneficiaries by June and to 1.12 lakh by December.
Minister for Housing Jogi Ramesh, Municipal Administration Minister A Suresh, Chief Secretary KS Jawahar Reddy, AP State Housing Corporation Chairman D Dorababu, TIDCO Chairman J Prasanna Kumar, Special Chief Secretaries Ajay Jain (Housing), Y Srilakshmi (MA&UD) and K Vijayanand (Energy) and other officials were present.