BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court issued notice to the state and central governments on a PIL filed by a city-based advocate, seeking directions to provide housing to eligible siteless/houseless urban and rural Below Poverty Line (BPL)/Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) families.
Hearing the petition filed by Mohamed Ikbal, a division bench of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Suraj Govindaraj issued notice to the secretaries of Ministry of Rural Development and Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation, Government of India, secretary, Housing Department, Government of Karnataka, managing director of Rajiv Gandhi Housing Corporation Limited, and commissioners of Backward Classes Welfare and Karnataka Slum Development Board.
Stating that the state and central governments are implementing various housing schemes for urban and rural EWS, the petitioner contended that the central government is committed to provide housing for all by 2022. The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna Scheme aims to provide pucca housing with basic amenities to all homeless families, and those living in dilapidated houses in rural areas, by 2022. However, there is no commitment or action plan to provide housing for all eligible by 2022, he alleged.