'People may get second chance to construct houses'

Works on a significant number of houses in the district have been halted owing to non-sanctioning of funds. A meeting will be convened with the director of Rajiv Gandhi Housing Corporation in this regard, Muzrai, Fisheries, Port and Inland Transport and District In-charge Minister Kota Srinivas Poojary said.

He was chairing a meeting on the progress of the housing schemes in the district at Zilla Panchayat auditorium.

The minister noted that work on many houses had been stalled due to non-sanctioning of funds even though the work was carried out adhering to the norms.

Poojary said he had held a discussion in this regard with the housing minister.

“The housing minister has assured of sanctioning the funds for the beneficiaries who have adhered to the norms. They might have not been able to complete the construction within the speculated time due to financial constrains. As a result the funds were not sanctioned and the houses are blocked. There are thoughts to provide a second chance to them”, Poojary added.

Zilla Panchayat project director said that since 2010-11 till now, work on 607 houses were blocked. Out of these, a total of 456 houses have not been initiated yet and 151 are in progress. The beneficiaries of these houses are willing to continue the work and are awaiting funds. Works on a total of 2,995 houses are in progress in the district.

Poojary, meanwhile, stated that it has been decided to fund the work on houses under Matsyashraya scheme, meant for fishermen, from the fisheries department.

The official drew the attention of the minister by stating that the proposal sent towards the construction of 67 houses through Ambedkar Housing Corporation was
pending. The minister assured of initiating steps to ensure that the people from SC/ST communities, who are the beneficiaries of the scheme, got their houses sanctioned.

Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat President Meenakshi Shantigodu, Vice President Kasturi Panja and CEO Dr R Selvamani were present.