Karnataka govt defers allotment of flats to Kogilu families

Bengaluru: The state government, which had proposed allotment of alternative houses to the families evicted from Kogilu Layout on Friday, has temporarily deferred its plan due to compliance issues.

While the Revenue Department and the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) are said to have completed the process of identifying the “eligible” beneficiaries, the government has not committed to the next date of allotment of flats. 

Sources in the Housing department said the flats – constructed as part of Chief Minister’s One Lakh Housing programme – would be allotted only after Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda, who is also the MLA of Byatarayanapura Legislative Assembly constituency, returns from an overseas trip on Saturday.

As per the rules, the local MLA – as the head of the Ashraya Committee – is required to approve the names of beneficiaries of a housing project that is situated in their constituency. 

The selection of beneficiaries has become a headache for the government, as some of the families evicted do not have the requisite documents to become eligible for the housing project, as well as the Onti Mane scheme, which provides financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh. 

The Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Ltd had demolished about 167 sheds for setting up waste-related plans, but the subsequent survey of revenue officials showed a different number of affected households. On Thursday, the government announced that 90 families were eligible for the alternative housing scheme.