DISMAL RESPONSE
COLVALE
* 96 LIG flats
* only 60 applications
* 14 rejected
* 46 flats allotted
SANCOALE
* 32 LIG flats
* 38 applications
* 18 rejected
* 20 flats allotted
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TOUGH TERMS TO BLAME?
* One of the eligibility conditions is that the applicant must have been born in the State of Goa
* He or she shall be a resident of Goa for the last 15 years * One of his/her parents should be born in Goa and also a resident of the State for the last 25 years
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SALIGAO: At a time when the State government wants to promote affordable housing, one would have expected people jostling to grab brand new flats offered at subsidised rates by the government.
On the contrary, Goa Housing Board's (GHB) affordable housing to the Low Income Group (LIG) has had few takers and there has been a dismal response to the sale of 96 LIG flats at Colvale and 32 LIG flats at Sancoale, admitted officials at the GHB.
Each flat is built over an area of 35.484 sq mtrs and was priced at Rs 10.75 lakh.
The allotment of these LIG flats was made by GHB to those eligible applicants with an annual income of between Rs 2.167 and Rs 4.8 lakh on April 20 for the Sancoale flats and April 21 for the Colvale flats.
For the 96 LIG flats at Colvale, there were only 60 applications, of which 14 applications were rejected. The 46 flats were then allotted to the applicants.
Similarly, there were 38 applications for 32 LIG flats at Sancoale, of which 18 applications were rejected and 20 flats were allotted to the applicants.
Admitting there had been poor response for the affordable housing scheme, GHB Managing Director Sabaji Shetye claimed that the stringent conditions may have deterred people from evincing interest in these discounted flats.
“One of the eligibility conditions was that the applicant must have been born in the State of Goa and shall be a resident of Goa for the last 15 years. Besides, one of his/her parents should be born in Goa and also a resident of the State for the last 25 years,” said Shetye.
“Parents of many people interested in applying for the subsidized flats had expired and they did not have birth certificates, nor any documents to prove that their parents were born in Goa and that, they were residents of Goa for 25 years,” Shetye added.
“The GHB has received requests from the general public to modify this eligibility criteria suitability,” informed Shetye.
According to reliable sources, GHB Chairman Glenn Ticlo has been apprised about this eligibility condition, making it difficult to attract interest to the affordable housing scheme.
“The Aldona MLA has assured to take up the matter with Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar to modify the eligibility condition to enable more Goans to apply for discounted flats of the GHB,” the source added.
When contacted, Ticlo also admitted that the eligibility issue had been an issue for the booking of flats of the GHB.
“The response overall has been good, but on account of eligibility issue the booking (of flats) has been slow. Earlier, only applicants with a 10-year domicile or birth certificate was enough to avail of the flats,” said Ticlo.
