The volunteers, local political leaders are pressuring the beneficiaries to change their option. When AP CM YS Jaganmohan Reddy initiated building a layout at Gunkalam in Vizianagaram mandal, he announced that if the beneficiaries choose option ‘3’ the State Government would construct the houses and give it back in 18 months. Now the beneficiaries are being informed to change their option to one or two instead. This has led the beneficiaries severely criticise the government, however, efforts are on to convince them else the beneficiaries stand to lose their houses.
Everyone’s dream is to have their own house. Building a house is not a common thing in the present circumstances. Rising construction cost, shortage of labour, all these are big tasks. That is why the beneficiaries who got pattas in the housing scheme are opting for option 3. Houses are allocated under Prime Minister Awas Yojana, YSR Urban BLC scheme. The government is giving 54 yards in towns and 72 yards in rural areas. The unit value is fixed at Rs 1.80 lakh per house. In Vizianagaram district, houses have been sanctioned for 98,286 people and the as per final list there are around 90,286 beneficiaries. So far only 22,566 people have given options. 21,241 people were granted houses on their own land and they are all set out to build their own. Of these, 201 have already started construction. The government will pay the bills for them.
There are 47,159 house-sanctioned beneficiaries in lay-outs, 13,003 in position certificates and 21,241 in their own space. The government has issued orders to the housing department to allow those given the second option to start building a house. If the beneficiary undertakes construction in this category the unit value will be credited to their bank account as prescribed. A mela is being organized in Vizianagaram on the 23rd of this month to make them aware of the third option and change it to two. Of the 98,286 houses sanctioned, 81,403 were distributed as on the 20th of this month. Housing Minister PD S Ramanamurthy said that even if the deadline expires on Wednesday, they will be given time till the 30th of this month.
Option 1: The housing construction material is supplied by the housing company to the beneficiary. The house should be built by the beneficiaries.
Option 2: If the beneficiary builds his own house, the bill (specified unit value) will be paid by the government.
Option 3: We cannot build a house. The government will build if the beneficiary asks you not to build it yourself.
The government seems to have raised its hands as many of the beneficiaries have given preference to Option 3. The housing department officials said that it was not possible to build quality houses with Rs 1.80 lakh.
