DIC to seek more houses under artisans’ scheme in Mysuru

The District Industries Centre (DIC), at the behest of Deputy Commissioner D. Randeep, will soon write to the Commissioner of Industries to sanction more houses under the housing scheme for rural artisans in the district. According to officials, there has been a large number of applications from eligible artisans.

Under the schemes, rural artisans, including blacksmiths, carpenters, weavers, potters, cobblers, masons, coir makers, stone cutters, mat weavers and basket weavers, get financial assistance of Rs. 2.2 lakh to construct houses. Of the amount, Rs.1.2 lakh comes from the Rajiv Gandhi Housing Scheme, while the remaining funds come from DIC. The beneficiaries will have to chip in with around Rs. 30,000 himself.

The funds are released at different stages, according to the envisioned levels and construction progress observed by the authorities through GPS system. The houses can be up to 600 sq.ft.

Mysuru has been given a target of 20 houses this year, but DIC has received a lot more applications. Therefore, Mr. Randeep, who is also the chairman of the district committee to select beneficiaries, has instructed the Joint Director of DIC, Ramakrishne Gowda, to write to the Commissioner of Industries to treat Mysuru as special case and sanction more houses to the district.

Mr. Ramakrishne Gowda told The Hindu that the zilla panchayat CEO, Shivashankar, who is the deputy chairman of the committee, and the DC had held a meeting a few days ago and scrutinised all the applications. The committee, after verifying the documents submitted by artisans, was unable to shortlist just 20 as there seemed to be more equally deserving candidates.

DIC will also write another letter to the Commissioner of Industries seeking a greater annual allocation of houses to Mysuru as number of artisans in the district is relatively high.