Vijayawada: Demand for completion of TIDCO houses, Jagananna Colonies

Vijayawada: Both Central and State governments have miserably failed to provide houses to urban poor, alleged Andhra Pradesh Urban Citizens Federation (APUCF) State convener Ch Babu Rao, while addressing the media here on Monday. "The Centre is not allocating necessary funds for housing and the State government is not allotting its share to construct the houses," he pointed out.

He said that though houses under TIDCO and PMAY had started five years ago, they were not handed over to the beneficiaries till date. Moreover, the government was levying additional burden on people on one pretext or other, he added.

'Surprisingly, the State government has announced that the houses would be handed over to the beneficiaries if they pay Rs 5.65 lakh on the pretext that the banks are not extending loans for housing,' Babu Rao stated.

He slammed the State government for not showing interest to complete the construction of houses but more interested in collecting money in the name of OTS.

Babu Rao recalled that six lakh houses were sanctioned under TIDCO scheme, out of which 2.92 lakh houses were almost completed. The State government was not completing the houses and providing infrastructure to them, he criticised.

'Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy promised before elections that 30 lakh houses would be constructed for the poor and after coming to power, he laid foundation stone for 15 lakh houses but very few houses are completed. Foundation stone was not laid for six lakh houses and it is not sure when the government would commence the second phase for 15 lakh houses. The houses might not be completed in near future since the Centre and the State governments are granting Rs 1.8 lakh per house, which is not sufficient even for iron, cement and sand.'

The APUCF leader demanded the government either to increase the amount to Rs 5 lakh or to build the houses.

Babu Rao said the State government had announced Jagananna Smart Township for middleclass people amidst fanfare but nothing was happening there. Nobody was interested in these houses as the house sites were away from towns and the land price was more than the market value, he informed. He said that it was sad that the YSRCP and the TDP were indulging in criticism but not taking concrete action. He demanded the BJP leaders to extract funds from the Centre instead of boasting about their party.

The APUCF will stage dharna in all towns and cities on February 28 demanding immediate solution to the housing problem, Babu Rao announced.