Uncertainty prevails over read-to-be occupied 2BHK houses in Mancherial

A colony of 286 double-bedroom houses was built in Kyathanpalli at a cost of Rs 15.16 crore, and was officially inaugurated by the then MAUD Minister KT Rama Rao in October 2023. Thousands of applications from low-income individuals were received, but beneficiary selection was delayed following the announcement of the December Assembly elections.

Mancherial: Two colonies of almost ready-to-be occupied 2 BHK houses, built by the then BRS government, in Kyathanpalli and Mandamarri municipalities have become show pieces.

A colony of 286 double-bed-room houses was constructed in Kyathanpalli spending Rs 15.16 crore. The then MAUD minister KT Rama Rao formally inaugurated the colony in October of 2023. Thousands of applications were received from the poor. However, beneficiaries were not selected, following the announcement of Assembly elections held in December.

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Uncertainty prevailed over the future of the houses as the process of identification of beneficiaries was not carried out so far. “The houses are being damaged by unknown persons. Windows of some houses were vandalized with beneficiaries not occupying the structures,” Satyanaryana D, an applicant said. Locals requested the officials to take steps to select genuine beneficiaries and to hand over the houses to them.

“Certain civil works such as roads and side drainages, etc., are pending. Beneficiaries are yet to be identified. No clarity has been given by the government as to how to select the beneficiaries,” Kyathanpalli municipal commissioner G Raju said. He opined that the fate of the houses could be decided once guidelines for the Indiramma Housing scheme announced by the government were issued.
Similarly, another colony of 560 double-bed-room houses was created for the homeless poor in Mandamarri town at an estimated cost of Rs 30 crore. The construction of the houses reached the final stage much before the announcement of the Assembly elections. Selection of beneficiaries and allotting the houses to them has been pending since a year. Financially weaker sections requested officials to initiate the process of identification of beneficiaries.

Meanwhile, construction of 300 houses in Chennur municipality was shelved with the executing agency reportedly expressing disinterest to complete the work, citing losses. Neither action was initiated against the agency for quitting the work halfway, nor steps taken to complete the project, indicating apathy of officials concerned and local public representatives in realizing dreams of the homeless.

“Instead of constructing new houses by spending huge amounts, local elected representatives may take steps to hand over the houses to the genuine beneficiaries. Thus, public money is saved and the poor would be able to find shelter,” an applicant of the housing scheme opined.