The Hindu : Rs. 14.36 cr. grant for KSCB project

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jan 12, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka

Rs. 14.36 cr. grant for KSCB project

By Our Special Correspondent

The Union Minister, Ananth Kumar, presenting a cheque for Rs. 14.36 cr. to C.R.Narayanappa (left), Chairman of the Karnataka Slum Clearance Board in Bangalore on Saturday. The HUDCO Regional Chief, K.R.Alva, is seen. — Photo: K.Gopinathan

BANGALORE Jan. 11. The Union Minister for Urban Development and Poverty Alleviation, Ananth Kumar, has promised more assistance to the State for quick implementation of the Valmiki Ambedkar Avas Yojana.

The scheme is aimed at ameliorating the housing problems of slum dwellers.

Presenting a cheque for Rs. 14.36 crores as second instalment of subsidy from the Centre to the ambitious Rs. 115.18-crores housing project launched by the Karnataka Slum Clearance Board (KSCB), Mr. Ananth Kumar said the Centre was doing everything to implement the programme early in all States.

He said his ministry had released Rs. 14.47 crores and would release the remaining Rs. 28.76 crores based on the progress of the scheme.

He lauded the State Government and KSCB for making best use of the subsidy. He hoped work on the second phase would begin soon.

Ever since his Ministry launched the project in 2001-02, Karnataka had been showing keen interest in utilising the subsidy to the extent of 50 per cent of the project cost. For the Rs. 115.18-crore projects aimed at constructing 21,312 housing units and 519 toilets, the Centre had agreed to provide Rs. 57.59 crores as subsidy. Matching grants would be released either by the State Government or by HUDCO in the form of a soft loan.

The KSCB Chairman, C.R.Narayanappa, thanked the Union Minister for releasing the second instalment.

The State Government had named the board as the nodal agency and the Karnataka Land Army Corporation Ltd. had been entrusted with the construction work.

He said so far 10,312 houses had been completed and would be handed over to the beneficiaries by February and work on 11,000 houses would begin in March.

A sub-component of the Yojana, named Nirmal Bharath Abhiyan, had been taken up to provide community toilet complexes in rural areas, and 20 per cent of the allocation was meant for the programme.

Mr. Narayanappa said HUDCO played a major role in helping the KSCB in implementing the Integrated Development of Slums.

It had sanctioned Rs. 228.28 crores for schemes other than the Yojana.

Mr. Narayanappa said HUDCO had given Rs. 110 crores loan for a slum upgradation scheme in 21 Class-I cities. For community toilet complexes in Bangalore, it had sanctioned a soft loan of Rs. 7.38 crores.

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