NEW DELHI, Dec 4: Saddled with complaints regarding quality of houses built for poor, Government today said it was considering third party inspection of such projects in the second phase of the scheme.
“We are considering third party inspection of the projects implemented in the second phase of Rajiv Awas Yojana,” Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation Minister Ajay Maken told the Lok Sabha during Question Hour.
He was replying to a question by S Alagiri (Cong) on the quality of houses built for economically weaker sections which were said to last 30 years.
“If houses built for PWD Engineer, MPs and MLAs can last 100 years, why this discrepancy when dealing with the economically weaker sections,” he asked.
Maken said the Centre, along with states, would make arrangements for operation and maintenance of dwelling units built under the RAY programme.
He said the Phase-I of RAY was started in July last year and 12 projects worth Rs 446.22 crore have been sanctioned under it for construction of 8,400 dwelling units.
He said 21 projects have been pending with the ministry for evaluation.
Maken said the government proposed to include all cities under Phase-II of RAY.
Maken said the ministry has also formed a system – Integrated Poverty Monitoring System – to monitor the quality of construction in Rajiv Awas Yojana.
He said the Phase-I of the project was being implemented in cities with population of over three lakh.
“In Phase-II of the scheme, half of the funds will be allocated to cities with population of over five lakh and the other half will be reserved for cities with less population,” he said.
Maken said there was shortage of 18.78 million houses and Rs 7.5 lakh crore would be required to overcome this shortage.
“We have made provisions for private sector participation in this scheme…Builders developing group housing societies will have to reserve 35 per cent dwelling units or 15 per cent FAR for the economically weaker sections or LIG,” he said.
Maken said government would make available credit to purchase these units under the Credit Risk Guarantee Scheme.
“We have transferred Rs 1,000 crore to the Credit Risk Guarantee Scheme which will act as collateral security,” he said.
The poor would get to avail loans up to Rs five lakh without any collateral for purchase of houses. (PTI)
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