Telangana: Congress now says Indiramma houses first only to those who own plots

Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy added that in the subsequent phases, plots would be allotted, besides extending financial assistance.

Hyderabad: After announcing that Indiramma houses would be offered to all the poor and homeless, the Congress government has now backtracked on yet another of its promises, and has now said that the houses would be initially given only to those who own house plots and subsequently to those who do not have their own plots.

The exercise to identify the beneficiaries through Indiramma committees would begin from November 6 and would be completed by November 20. Efforts were being made to commence the works by November 25, Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy said here on Saturday, adding that in the subsequent phases, plots would be allotted, besides extending financial assistance.

---

In the next four years, 20 lakh Indiramma houses would be sanctioned and each beneficiary would be offered Rs.5 lakh assistance in four stages through bank transfers. It was estimated that it would cost Rs.28,000 crore for the first phase and of this, Rs.7,740 crore was already allocated in the State budget, he said in an informal chat with media persons here on Saturday.

The Centre’s help would be sought for construction of the houses. In urban areas, the Centre would extend Rs.1.5 lakh and in rural areas, it would be Rs.75,000. Irrespective of the Centre’s assistance, the State government was committed to construct the houses.

“If the Centre insists on having its branding on the houses, we will approve without any ego,” Srinivas Reddy said, adding that both the BJP union Ministers from the State would be invited for the inaugural ceremony.

The Minister also said as there were no sarpanches or ward members, the Panchayat elections would be conducted in December or mostly before Sankranthi.

Dismissing comments by BJP leaders that Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy would be replaced in June next year, the Minister said Revanth Reddy would continue for the next four years.