PANAJI
With an aim of providing Housing For All in Goa, almost 3,144 affordable houses for the benefit for urban poor are constructed under Centre’s flagship scheme Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana with a total investment of Rs 696 crore.
Goa Government had in August 2018 signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Union Ministry for Housing and Urban Affairs for availing the benefit under the scheme, that seeks to address the housing requirement of urban poor including slum dwellers. The scheme is being implemented for urban poor.
In the urban category, considering the 2011 Census population, Goa identified 14 towns to avail the benefit - Bicholim, Canacona, Cuncolim, Curchorem, Mapusa, Margao, Mormugao, Panjim, Pernem, Ponda, Quepem, Sanguem, Sanquelim and Valpoi.
As per the PMAY progress report released on October 30, Centre has sanctioned 3,146 houses for Goa at a total cost of Rs 696.54 cr. Of these, the works of only two houses are currently in progress.
The data also reveals that of the total estimated project cost, Rs 75 crore of Central assistance has been sanctioned and released to the Department of Urban Development, which is an implementing agency through the respective local urban bodies.
Sources informed that the beneficiaries were identified based on a survey undertaken by the department of urban development through municipalities. “Central government has got some criteria for beneficiaries. The beneficiaries are among the Economically Weaker Section or lower or middle income group people,” sources said, adding that under the scheme, pucca houses are provided to the eligible urban household.
Central government since 2015 has sanctioned around 1.18 crore houses till date under the scheme for urban population with a total investment of around Rs 8.11 lakh crore.
