State to complete construction of incomplete 2BHK houses as part of 99-day action plan

The State Government has resolved to complete construction of the incomplete two bedroom houses, part of housing scheme started by the previous BRS government, as part of the ongoing Praja Palana – Pragati Pranalika, the 99-day action plan to take administration to the people.

It has decided to allot 2BHK houses which are completed but remaining vacant to eligible poor in the coming days.

Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy said that notices have been issued to house owners who are allotted houses, but did not occupy them citing various reasons, including the distance they should commute to their workplaces if they occupied those 2BHK houses.

The previous government sanctioned 2.31 lakh houses of which 1.62 lakh had been completed, except for few basic infrastructure facilities. Houses where infrastructure works like electrification, water supply and sewerage works were pending were yet to be allotted to eligible beneficiaries.

“Deficiencies are being identified and orders have been issued for third party quality control,” he said. The Minister was responding to queries when the issue came up for discussion during the Question Hour in the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday.

He said he would convene special meetings of MLAs of the erstwhile united districts soon to resolve problems pertaining to 2BHK houses in their respective constituencies. A toll free helpline would be established enabling residents or their representatives to bring complaints to the notice of the government so that they could be resolved within 24 hours.

Recalling that the Congress government headed by late Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy took up construction of 21 lakh houses in Telangana in the past, he said the previous BRS Government sanctioned over two lakh houses, including one lakh in the GHMC limits. Of these, 78,861 houses completed had no basic infrastructure, and another 21,838 houses were left at the stage of foundations. In all, 26 colonies were left incomplete without facilities and the government had sanctioned ₹738 crore for creating basic amenities in 80 colonies developed under the 2BHK scheme.

Of the amount allocated, ₹432 crore had been spent so far and the government might require ₹270 crore more for putting in place the basic infrastructure in these colonies. There were over 12,000 houses vacant as the allottees expressed their inability to occupy them in view of the distances they had to travel. It was accordingly decided to extend the deadline for them to take possession of the houses within two months failing which these houses would be allotted to eligible poor living within 5 km range of the respective colonies.

Responding to a suggestion that the government lease out shops constructed in these colonies, he said the occupants of leased premises were not paying the amounts in time and were instead obtaining stays from court when asked to vacate. Keeping this in view, the government had decided to sell such premises and deposit the proceeds into joint accounts in which the representative of the respective welfare associations would be a member.

For the incomplete houses, the government had decided to entrust completion of works to the same contractors if they accept to take up works at the old rates. New contractors would be appointed in case they refused to do so. The Minister refuted the charge that Indiramma committees were having a say in allotment of houses under the weaker section housing scheme asserting that the respective sarpanch, irrespective of party affiliation, would head the committee which would recommend the names of beneficiaries to the respective District Collector and to the in-charge Minister for approval. “The government will consider nominating MLAs as members of these committees,” he said responding to a request from the members.

Construction of over one lakh Indiramma houses would be completed in all respects by March and and the government had targets completion of one lakh more before June-end.