Housing Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy has provided clarification regarding the eligibility criteria for financial assistance under the Indiramma Illu scheme. He emphasized that assistance will only be extended to individuals who possess their own land and a food security card. The scheme aims to distribute houses to 4.5 lakh people across the state, with each constituency receiving 3,500 houses in the initial phase.
During a review meeting with housing board officials at his secretariat, Ponguleti highlighted the government’s commitment to fulfilling its six guarantees, focusing on providing housing land to the homeless and a financial aid of Rs. 5 lakh for house construction under the housing scheme.
In the initial phase, Rs. 5 lakh will be sanctioned for the construction of Indiramma houses, exclusively for those who own land. Specifications dictate that the constructed houses should cover a minimum area of 400 square feet, comprising a hall, bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom. Furthermore, the houses will be registered in the name of women, and beneficiaries will be selected based on food security card details submitted in the Praja Palana applications.
Despite the absence of state-specific housing scheme guidelines, officials assert their adherence to central guidelines to ensure the proper utilization of funds allocated by the central government. The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, a central initiative, provides funds to states for constructing houses for the economically disadvantaged. The prescribed guidelines include a minimum area of 350 square feet, featuring a kitchen, bedroom, toilet, and hall. Importantly, houses must be registered in the name of women, and the central government contributes up to Rs. 2.5 lakh per house.
While the state government aspires to construct 4.5 lakh houses this year, the allocated budget for housing stands at Rs. 7,000 crore. To bridge the financial gap, the state government plans to secure the remaining amount through central assistance and loans from HUDCO.