No delay in issue of TNHB sale deeds, says Minister

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, APRIL 28. Amidst several members including even ruling party MLAs' in the Assembly today complaining about the Tamil Nadu Housing Board (TNHB) delaying sale deeds to allottees under various schemes in different parts of the State, the Minister for Housing and Urban Development, Mr. K. Pitchandi, maintained that the TNHB did not delay issuance of the sale documents.

Barring cases locked in court litigations, ``sale deeds are being issued unhindered,'' Mr. Pitchandi claimed, intervening in the debate on the demands for grants pertaining to his departments. In fact, ``we are conducting monthly camps to expedite the process of issuing sale deeds,'' he added.

Mr. Pitchandi also stoutly denied an Opposition member's charge that the land cost was being revised upwards for TNHB projects that came up on 'poromboke' (Government) lands.

Replying to the debate later, Mr. Pitchandi, announced that Government would be spending Rs. 15 crores this year to construct another 3000 houses for beedi workers in different parts of the State.

The 240 residential quarters for MLAs' coming up at the Government estates in Chennai will be inaugurated by the Chief Minister, Mr. M. Karunanidhi, before the end of the current Assembly session, disclosed the Minister.

Housing finance to the extent of Rs. 170 crores in rural areas was targetted this year through cooperatives for improving the housing stock, he said.

This would include Rs. 70 crores under the low income group and Rs. 100 crores for middle income group. Under the urban housing scheme, credit worth Rs. 450 crores was envisaged during 2000-01 for construction of 25,000 houses, he added.

Announcing several new TNHB projects on the anvil in different parts of Tamil Nadu, Mr. Pitchandi said the Board would construct 200 houses at a cost of Rs. 7.50 crores in Vilankuruchi in Coimbatore district and another 260 houses at a cost of Rs. 6 crores in Vellakinar.

A Rs. 4.56 crores housing scheme comprising 120 houses at Muthamapalayam in Erode district, a Rs. 6 crores housing scheme comprising 200 houses at Aringnar Anna Nagar in Madurai district and construction of a 'composite housing scheme' at A.Jettihalli in Dharmapuri district at an estimated cost of Rs. 8.44 crores are among the other TNHB projects being taken up this year.

Regarding resettlement of slum-dwellers in fire-proof houses, he said in the current year 26,000 dwellings will be constructed at a total cost of Rs. 39 crores in Chennai, Madurai, Coimbatore, Salem, Tiruchi and Tirunelveli. This project would be extended in phases to other parts of the State.

On Urban Development, the Minister in his policy note said that the draft ``Urban Development Strategy Paper'' prepared by the State has projected a total population of 7.14 crores in 2011, with nearly 40 per cent of them living in urban areas.

The Strategy Paper notes that the ``super metropolitan area'' of Chennai and four future metropolitan centres of Coimbatore, Madurai, Tiruchi and Salem will continue to grow and dominate the urban scene of Tamil Nadu.

``What is required is a systemic planning on a long-range basis to slow down their growth through greater incentives for the development of other urban centres,'' it said.

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Section  : Regional
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