‘BJP govt committed to building houses for homeless’

Housing Minister V Somanna said the chief minister and BJP led government in state were committed to providing houses for the homeless.

He was addressing the gathering after laying the foundation stone for the construction of 460 houses in 8.22 acres of land in Herga in Saralebettu ward on Wednesday. He said the project to avail 460 flats in Udupi is financially supported by Karnataka Slum Development Board (KSDB).

The houses are built by Udupi CMC. He said it was difficult for the poor to have houses of their own. In order to help such people residing in slums, the government through the centre’s ‘Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana’ is implementing housing schemes.

Somanna said that earlier the presidents of respective gram panchayats were given the freedom to select beneficiaries for the housing schemes.

“Following charges of nepotism in the selection of beneficiaries, the government had empowered Deputy Commissioner and Zilla Panchayat CEO, Panchayat Development Officers to select the beneficiaries,” he said.

This move by the government will ensure transparency in the selection of the beneficiaries, he said. Minister added that more beneficiaries will be identified in the days to come, once the land was identified. Somanna responding to Udupi MLA K Raghupathi Bhat’s demand approved a proposal for another 1000 flats for the homeless, he added.