The minister was speaking after launching work for the construction of Ashraya houses at Virupinakoppa near here at a function organised by the Rajiv Gandhi Housing Corporation and the city Ashraya committees on Wednesday.

The government plans to distribute title deeds at the earliest to all slum dwellers, who form 12 per cent of the State’s population.

A decision in this regard will be taken after discussing the matter in the Cabinet, Somanna said.

2,227 slums in State

The distribution of title deeds will be launched first in Shimoga, he said. There are 2,227 slums in 176 taluks of the State, Somanna said. He said that Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa had set aside Rs 50 crore for the Slum Clearance Board in this year’s budget.