Houses for BPL families in 3 years

By Our Staff Correspondent

TUMKUR, NOV. 28. Mr. Qamar-ul-Islam, Minister for Housing, said on Wednesday that the Government would provide houses to all homeless families below the poverty line (BPL) by the end of 2004.

The minister, who handed over titles of houses to 480 persons at Sira Town in Tumkur District, at a function organised by the Tumkur Zilla Panchayat (ZP) and Sira Taluk Panchayat (TP), he said the Government was committed to providing food, clothing, and shelter to all the BPL families, and they were being identified.

Mr. Qamar-ul-Islam said 11 lakh families had no shelter according to the 1991 Census. The Government had drawn up a new scheme, Grama Panchayat Ashraya Yojana, under which it was planned to build 150 houses in each village for the poor, he added.

He said the Government had allocated Rs. 414 crore per annum for both the Ashraya and Ambedkar housing schemes. As many as 2.5 lakh houses had been built under the Rajiv Gandhi Grameena Vasati Yojana in two years -- 1.30 houses built during the first year had been given to the poor. Construction of 1.50 lakh houses would be completed by March 2002, and they would be given to the poor soon after, he added.

Stating that focus was also on creating healthy surroundings in villages, Mr. Qamar-ul-Islam said Rs. 200 crore would be invested in ``sulabh shouchalayas'' under the Nava Grama Yojana. Slums in 21 selected urban centres would be remodelled with roads, drains, toilets, lighting, water supply, and other amenities, at a cost of Rs. 750 crore under the Nirmal Jyoti Yojana, he added.

Officials warned: The minister agreed to provide 1,000 houses at Sira to beedi workers, and said the Government was constrained to purchase land from individuals at market rates. He regretted that officials who were entrusted with the job were not completing the deals honestly. They were increasing land rates in connivance with the land owners, he alleged, and warned them that the Government would view their lapses seriously.

Mr. T.B. Jayachandra, Minister for Agriculture and Minister in charge of Tumkur District, said the Government was considering possibilities of reducing farmers' dependence on rain, and improving the crop yields by adopting the latest technology.

Accusing the Union Government of having failed to come to the rescue of farmers when the prices of agricultural produce had fallen sharply, he said the State Government created a revolving fund of Rs. 300 crore. As much as 48 lakh quintals of mekkejola was procured at Rs. 450 a quintal as against the market rate of Rs. 250 a quintal. Ragi and paddy were also procured from the farmers directly, he added.

He said the Government had taken steps to eradicate the mite disease affecting coconut palms at a cost of Rs. 50 crore. An additional Rs. 60 crore had been kept apart for procuring copra by opening 41 centres in the ``coconut zone'', including Tumkur District.

Ms. B.S. Dakshayini, President, Tumkur ZP, and Mr. K. Mukundappa, President, Sira TP, spoke. Mr. P.M. Ranganathappa, MLA, Sira, presided.

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