Uttaranchal to launch housing scheme for BPL families

Uttaranchal Chief Minister ND Tiwari would announce a new five-year long scheme to construct 1.5 lakh houses for below poverty line people on Independence Day.

Uttaranchal Chief Minister ND Tiwari would announce a new five-year long scheme to construct 1.5 lakh houses for below poverty line people on Independence Day. This will be the first such housing scheme which is being exclusively launched for the people below the poverty line in Uttaranchal, officials said.

HT Image

The centrally-sponsored schemes like Indira Avaas Yojna would alone not suffice to end the housing problem of the poor, they said quoting an assessment report.

The government has already identified people whose annual income is not more than Rs 32,000 and has constructed 15,000 houses this year itself.

Total cost of constructing a house would be Rs 50,000, out of which the state government would provide a subsidy of Rs 10,000 and the remaining sum would be made available to the poor on 7.5 per cent interest rate through banks. The banks have agreed to put a one-year moratorium on interest as and when the loans are sanctioned.

For realising dreams of the poor people the Rural Development Department has roped in leading banks like State Bank of India (SBI), Punjab National Bank (PNB) and the state Cooperative bank to provide loans at 7.5 per cent interest rate, officials said.

So far nearly 500 people have applied to avail the housing loan facilities. Significantly, this is a direct housing loan, which is given to a person, who can construct the house of his choice.