This system of selecting the beneficiaries in the presence of elected representatives by the state government for the Basava Indira Housing scheme has drawn flak from the slum dwellers in the taluk.
When a survey was undertaken to identify the number of houses, it brought hope among the slum dwellers that their dream of having a shelter of their own had indeed become true.
But shock was in store for them when the list was prepared under the first phase to select the beneficiaries. There are approximately 12,000 slum dwellers in the taluk alone and around 40,000 in the whole district. But, only 4,000 beneficiaries for each taluk will be selected for each assembly constituency. The beneficiaries for the four taluks of the district had been selected by Jagruthi Samiti and in all, 7,744 have been chosen. Out of this, Chamarajanagar has 2,000 beneficiaries, Gundlupet - 1,643, Kollegal - 3,218 and Hanur assembly constituency - 883. Government distributes Rs 60,000 for each house and the beneficiary has to pay his share of Rs 3,500 and he is also eligible for a bank loan of Rs 10,000, with the interest at a rate of eight per cent.
Rajiv Gandhi Housing Corporation is the nodal agency of the scheme, hence gram panchayats do not hold any power on this. The officials themselves inspect the works and distribute money to the account of the beneficiaries and there will be no interference of middlemen.
One of the slum dwellers Siddamma said that they were overjoyed when the authorities took the photograph of their huts but their decision of selecting the beneficiaries through lots has come as a disappointment. The government has to decide on identifying the poorest of poor and distribute houses, she opined.
