Even as it proceeds with infrastructural works on the housing units built under the JNNURM scheme during the erstwhile joint State, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) is awaiting directions from the State government regarding collection of beneficiaries’ contribution.
The GHMC has got clearance from the government to seek a total of ₹ 330 crore from the Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO) for completion of the pending infrastructural works in the JNNURM and Vambay housing colonies in and around Hyderabad.
However, the corporation is not clear as to the procedure to follow with regard to the ₹128 crore pending contribution yet to be obtained from the beneficiaries. The contribution pertains to over 9,000 houses yet to be handed over in JNNURM and Vambay schemes, informed the Commissioner, GHMC, B. Janardhan Reddy.
In view of the Telangana government’s resolve to provide double bedroom houses absolutely free for the poor in 560 square feet plinth area, which is almost double the space provided in JNNURM houses, the corporation is in a dilemma, whether to charge the beneficiaries of the two schemes their contribution. “We are seeking government’s directions on whether to charge the beneficiaries or whether the State would bear the burden. Depending on the directions, we will begin the exercise of asking the beneficiaries if they would pay the remaining amount,” Mr. Janardhan Reddy said.
Under the JNNURM scheme, to which majority of the houses belong, the beneficiary has to pay 30 % of the cost, 10 % as down payment and 20 % tied up as bank loan. Some beneficiaries have already made the down payment, and the rest are under various stages of payment. More than 30,000 houses built under the scheme in Hyderabad, Sangaredy, Ranga Reddy and Medchal districts have been handed over to the beneficiaries after payments were made. Even as the remaining 9,000-plus houses were yet to be allotted, the vacant colonies were being resided by vagrants, with the doors, bathroom fixtures, pipelines stolen. The repairs and infrastructure would need ₹ 450 crore, part of which will be funded by HUDCO.
