BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Thursday announced that the state government will construct an additional 2,91,666 houses under the Antyodaya Gruha Yojana and extend the scheme by two years until 2029.
The move will accelerate the state government’s efforts towards providing houses to all eligible families, particularly poor and vulnerable households left out of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.
The total project outlay of Rs 7,550 crore will remain unchanged. However, Rs 3,500 crore earmarked for the repair component of the scheme will be diverted to the construction of new houses. The scheme, initially scheduled to run until 2027, will now continue till 2029, Majhi said.
He also directed the Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water department to conduct a survey to identify additional eligible beneficiaries.
According to the CMO, those who have already received `48,500 or less under the scheme, along with other eligible households, will be considered for inclusion.
The state government has also enhanced the incentives for beneficiaries who will complete house construction within the stipulated time. Under the revised provision, beneficiaries completing their houses within five months will receive an incentive of Rs 35,000, against the earlier Rs 20,000 for completing construction within four months.
Similarly, those completing construction within seven months will receive Rs 20,000, compared with the earlier incentive of Rs 10,000 for completing the work within six months. The revised incentive structure will encourage more beneficiaries to complete construction within the prescribed time-frame and enable more families to benefit from the scheme, the CMO stated.
The Antyodaya Gruha Yojana was launched with a target of constructing houses for five lakh families. It primarily caters to poor and vulnerable households that are not eligible for housing assistance under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.
Majhi said the decisions would help the state achieve its objective of ensuring a house for every eligible family at the earliest.
