BHUBANESWAR: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has assured the State Government of providing financial, technical and managerial assistance to construct ‘pucca’ houses for 30 lakh beneficiaries in Odisha.
The proposal was discussed at a meeting between Minister of State for Panchayati Raj Arun Sahu and UNDP country head Jaco Cilliers at the State Secretariat here.
The BJD had announced in its election manifesto to convert all ‘kutcha’ houses to ‘pucca’ houses in next five years.
The UNDP would also prepare a vision document on constructing cyclone resistant centres in the State, stated a release.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had announced a Rs 3,000 crore new scheme in September, the ‘Biju Pucca Ghar’, with the objective of converting all ‘kutcha’ houses to ‘pucca’ houses as a part of the commitment made to the people during the election.
The existing ‘Mo Kudia’ scheme with a budget provision of Rs 330 crore has been merged with the new scheme. The provision for the new scheme would be enhanced to Rs 3,000 crore in a phased manner. The State Government had announced the ‘Mo Kudia’ scheme to cover the poor people, denied housing facility under Indira Awas Yojana (IAY).
The houses in the new scheme will be sanctioned in the name of women, in a bid to empower them. The houses under the new scheme will be constructed by 2019.