BENGALURU: Playing the Good Samaritan, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday distributed title deeds to beneficiaries under one lakh multistorey housing scheme for the poor, and also handed over cheques to citizens who lost their family members to Covid in the first and second waves in Mahadevapura zone.
Admitting that the rules to allocate sites are complicated, Bommai said they would be simplified. “The state government will move in that direction, and allow the poor to own sites and homes,” he added. Under the housing scheme, being implemented by the Rajiv Gandhi Housing Corporation, 46,000 houses will be distributed. The CM instructed officials to ensure that title deeds of the remaining 64,000 houses too are distributed by December this year. “The beneficiaries should have a simple system of making payments in installments,” he said.
Once all the title deeds are distributed and if it proves successful, one more project will be taken up, he added. Instructing officials to plan a satellite township in Bengaluru with all the amenities for the poor, he said it should be self-sustainable with good connectivity and facilities. “It is imperative to provide housing in urban areas as it is difficult to own a site or a house cities and towns. It is a social challenge. A roof over one’s head, food and water are important to lead a dignified life,” he said.
The work on the construction of four lakh houses in rural areas, one lakh houses in urban areas and 97,000 houses in slums is being taken up and most of these projects are being executed under the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana.
Mahadevapura saw highest of 1,291 deaths
Handing over cheques of Rs 1 lakh to families of Covid deceased, Bommai assured the people that the government will support them “emotionally and financially”. Records shared by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) revealed that 1,291 people, including BPL card holders, died because of Covid in Mahadevapura.
A total of 897 applications were received, of which 551 beneficiaries are from the KR Puram Assembly constituency. Of these 551, 428 are APL card holders and 95 BPL card holders. The applications of 28 are still under scrutiny.