Officials told to speed up work on Indiramma houses

KADAPA: Collector V. Anil Kumar directed housing officials on Tuesday to expedite Indiramma houses and explore the scope for setting up solar lighting in Indiramma colonies.

Mr. Anil Kumar inspected the Housing Project Director's office here on old RIMS premises and reviewed the progress of Indiramma housing. Of a target of 2,67,676 houses, 2,02,778 houses had been completed recording 83 per cent achievement, with an expenditure of Rs. 717 crore. In all, 23,517 houses were yet to be started and 41,381 houses were in progress, he said. When the Collector sought the reason for non-commencement of some houses, engineers complained of short supply of cement. He exhorted officials to strive to complete 18,415 houses under G.O. 171, which stipulated payment of money for housing beneficiaries and they would procure raw materials on their own and construct houses.

The government was sanctioning Rs. 45,000 for each house and Rs. 3,050 in the rural areas and Rs. 55,000 in urban areas from June 1. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes would be sanctioned Rs. 30,000 each in both the areas.

Kadapa district was in the fifth place in achievement and it should strive to be numero uno, he said and added that West Godavari topped with 88 per cent completion of Indiramma houses.

Mr. Anil Kumar asked the housing officials to take up weekly reviews on progress of work. In charge Project Director of Housing Mahendra told the Collector that beneficiaries were paid bills up to June 17. He reviewed the programme under the jurisdiction of 13 Deputy Executive Engineers and 50 mandals.

Mr. Anil Kumar asked housing officials to coordinate with their counterparts in Forest Department to raise saplings in Indiramma housing. He said 86,658 applications for housing were received in Rachabanda, and of them, 77,057 were verified and 47,943 applicants were found to be eligible. The Collector warned of criminal action against officials or beneficiaries if they resorted to irregularities such as diversion of cement, payment before house completed and benami allotment.