Chief minister Raman Singh launched ambitious 'Atal Vihar Yojana', cited as the nation’s biggest housing scheme, at Pendri in Rajnandgaon district about 80 km west of Raipur on Tuesday.
The project scheme to be accomplished by Chhattisgarh Housing Board aims to construct one lakh houses having an eco-friendly features during the next three years mostly for the lower income groups (LIG), economically weaker sections (EWS) and middle income group (MIG) people.
Housing Board commissioner Sonmoni Bora told Hindustan Times that the first phase of the scheme launched on Tuesday will cover 13 districts of the state and by the year-end the second phase would start after the process of land acquisition for the remaining districts gets completed.
"This is going to be the biggest ever housing project by any state government or state housing board in the country so far. The project in each district would be developed as Atal Vihar (Housing) colony with all basic facilities and will have eco-friendly features like greenery perspective, rain water harvesting, solar panel, low flow sanitation, efficiency lighting besides other things", Bora told HT.
The technological innovations and newer techniques are going to be adopted, he said.
The total cost of the project is estimated to be around Rs 12000 crore. The state government will contribute Rs 240 crore as subsidy for the economically weaker sections and lower income groups.
{{/usCountry}}The total cost of the project is estimated to be around Rs 12000 crore. The state government will contribute Rs 240 crore as subsidy for the economically weaker sections and lower income groups.
{{/usCountry}}The remaining would be borne by the beneficiaries and the market force. The lower income group family will get Rs 40,000 subsidy, weaker section family will get Rs 80,000 in grant.
Forty-five thousand houses would be constructed for EWS and LIG, 50000 for MIG and 5000 for the Higher Income Groups.
After laying the foundation of the ambitious project at Pendri, the chief minister said that his government remains committed to meet the food and housing needs of the people of Chhattisgarh.
"We hope that through Atal Vihar Yojana we would able to realise the dream of housing for all", Singh said.
Chhattisgarh Housing Board, which came into existence in 2004, was awarded HUDCO best practice national award 2011-12 for it’s initiative to provide homes to poor, the low and middle income groups at an affordable price through various housing projects.