A total of 16,524 families were residing in the 302 slum areas identified in the Corporation limits spread across 91.34 square k.m. in the four zones. This was revealed at the consultative meeting on Slum Free City Plan of Action (SFCPOA) for the Salem City Municipal Corporation (SCMC) at a function organised by the Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board here on Monday.
Under the Rajiv Awas Yojana (RAY), that envisages a ‘Slum Free India’ by 2022, Gandhinagar New and Old Colony in Ward 6 in the corporation limits were selected for construction of 235 individual houses at a cost of Rs. 13.970 crore. Each house would be constructed in the cost ranging between Rs. 4 to 6 lakh with 50 per cent subsidy from Central government, 40 per cent subsidy from State government and 10 per cent contribution from the beneficiary. At the stakeholders meeting held on Monday, officials from slum clearance board said that a survey is being conducted by the Hyderabad-based private consultant to identify the slum areas in the city and an extensive mapping would be carried out. When the officials said that 302 slum areas have so far been identified in the city, councillors objected to it and said that 52 areas have developed and wanted it to be removed from the list. Officials said that Mayor and the Corporation Commissioner should forward a letter for making changes in the list.
After the survey is over in one month, slums would be selected and a project report would be prepared for implemented. Currently, of the total slum areas, 69 areas were found to be in objectionable areas and hence houses for these families should be constructed in nearby areas, the official said. Mayor S. Soundappan, Commissioner M. Ashokan, V. Shanmugasundaram, State Coordinator, AAY, V. Subramanian, Superintending Engineer, TNSCB, S.P. Vasanthakumar, Executive Engineer, TNSCB-Salem, engineers and councillors were present.