Houses for displaced people will be ready before Monsoon: Yeddyurappa

Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa expressed the hope that the construction of about 65,000 houses for people displaced by floods would be completed before the onset of monsoon.

Addressing a gathering after laying the foundation stone for shifting of Basapur village in Navalgund taluk of Dharwad district on Sunday, the Chief Minister said that of the 305 villages being shifted permanently and partially, land had been acquired in 277 villages and the process of acquiring the remaining land was in progress.

As many as 570 houses were being constructed under Sri Dharmasthala Gramabhivruddhi Yojane at Basapur village.

The Chief Minister said that of the 277 villages, work on creating the required infrastructure for the relocation had been initiated in 265 villages, and in 201 villages, the State government had signed MoUs with various organisations and companies for construction of houses.

Mr. Yeddyurappa said construction of 18,000 houses had begun in 55 villages and in another week the construction of 30,000 houses would begin.

“In another month's time, we will begin the construction of houses in all the villages that have to be shifted permanently”, he said.

Mr. Yeddyurappa said that as announced earlier he would be visiting all the 15 flood-affected districts in the State starting from April 4.

“I will be staying for a day in each of these districts to assess the progress in the works on creation of requisite infrastructure and basic amenities for these villages to be relocated and also to initiate measures to ensure the same,” the Chief Minister said.

Referring to the demand for construction of bridges to connect some of the flood-prone villages in Navalgund taluk, Mr. Yeddyurappa assured that he would take steps to get at least two bridges constructed during the current financial year.

Financial situation

Despite the economic recession, the financial situation of the State government was healthy and the State had already been appreciated by the Finance Commission and Reserve Bank of India for its financial discipline, he said.