Urban News

  • Increase font size
  • Default font size
  • Decrease font size
Slum Development / Housing

DDA sits on 2,300 EWS flats, sends team to US, UK to study low-cost housing

Thursday, 27 June 2013 10:39 administrator
Print PDF

The Indian Express              27.06.2013

DDA sits on 2,300 EWS flats, sends team to US, UK to study low-cost housing

At a time when it is still to finalise a policy on allotment of 2,300 flats for the economically weaker section, the Delhi Development Authority, which is nowhere near its target of building 1 lakh low-cost housing units in three years, is sending a delegation to "study such housing models in the US and UK".

The delegation, which includes Congress and BJP leaders whose terms run out later this year, is scheduled to leave on Thursday on a 12-day trip.

Harsh Vardhan of the BJP, Subhash Chopra, Naseeb Singh and Jitender Kochar of the Congress, who are non-official members, and DDA officials such as Director (Works) and the OSD to the Vice-Chairman are part of this study group.

While DDA officials were silent on the trip, Harsh Vardhan said: "A delegation is being taken by DDA to study low-cost housing in US and UK for 12 days, which basically includes looking at pre-fab technology as a solution. Other issues like water and sewage treatment plants will also be looked into."

Another member, who didn't wish to be named, said: "The purpose of our visit is to study low-cost housing models in the US and UK and replicate them here. Housing for the poor is a very important function of the DDA and the trip has been organised to try and give this an impetus in Delhi." The member said there was official clearance for the trip.

Incidentally, there is no certainty whether any of these political leaders will continue to be non-official members of the DDA after the Assembly elections later this year.

Sources said non-official member, Subhash Chopra, was unwell and might not make it to US but would try to join the delegation in the UK. Jitender Kochar may also join later due to commitments, the sources said. DDA spokesperson Neemo Dhar said she was not aware of any such trip.

Newsline had reported that low-cost housing projects were announced by the DDA in 2011-2012. But so far, the land agency has completed construction of only 2,300 flats in Dwarka Pocket-8, Sector-23B. A policy for allotment of these flats is still being finalised. 
 

'Mysore to be slum free in 5 yrs'

Thursday, 27 June 2013 09:31 administrator
Print PDF

Deccan Herald               27.06.2013

'Mysore to be slum free in 5 yrs'

The Karnataka Slum Development Board (KSDB) has ambitious plans to rehabilitate slum dwellers under the Centre’s Rajiv Awas Yojane (RAY), in a bid to position itself as a State with slum free cities in the next five years.

In the first phase, 10 cities having a population of three lakh and above have been identified. They are Bangalore, Mysore, Hubli-Dharwad, Gulbarga, Belgaum, Davangere, Mangalore, Bellary, Shimoga and Tumkur. However, works will be taken up on pilot at Bangalore, Tumkur, Hubli-Dharwad and Gulbarga with a target to construct 5,549 houses at the estimated cost of Rs 312 crore in the first phase, said Sannachikkathaiah, technical director of the Board.

Of the total project cost, Central share will be 50 pc, State’s - 40 pc, while the beneficiary contribution will be 10 per cent. The houses will be built on a carpet area of 300 square feet, with a hall (125 square feet), bedroom (95 square feet, kitchen (40), bathroom (25) and toilet (12), with other basic amenities like drinking water, UGD, road and drains, street lights, community hall, market etc.

Needy occupants to be considered

Mysore: In an attempt to rein in erring slum dwellers, who despite being rehabilitated to Slum Board constructed dwellings have let out the properties to others, the State government has ordered for allotting the houses to the occupants, if they fulfil the required criteria.

Informing this during the meeting, Kapanigowda, executive engineer of KSDB said that according to the order, the basic amount of the allottee will be confiscated and the occupants will be considered, if they don’t have any other housing facilities.

Taking cognisance of the same, deputy commissioner Ramegowda instructed the departments concerned to prepare the list of illegal occupants in the houses constructed for slum dwellers.
 

Housing: only 37 p.c. of last year’s target met

Thursday, 27 June 2013 04:59 administrator
Print PDF

The Hindu               27.06.2013

Housing: only 37 p.c. of last year’s target met

Staff Correspondent

Of the targeted 21,345 dwellings, only 8,004 have been built

Housing Minister M.H. Ambareesh on Wednesday said Karnataka could become “slum-free” only if officials worked in coordination with elected representatives. They (officials) must make efforts to engage private participation in housing, while working closely with people’s representatives, he said.

Presiding over a review meeting with officials from the district, at the Deputy Commissioner’s office here, Mr. Ambareesh said the officials should strive to realise the target set under various housing schemes for the previous year.

The target set for the current year should not cause a delay in completing the previous year’s work, he stated.

Zilla panchayat Chief Executive Officer P.A. Gopal said the target for constructing houses for the previous financial year was 21,345. However, so far, only 8,004 houses had been constructed.

On hearing this, the elected representatives voiced their displeasure.

They questioned the delay in completing the housing projects and sought to know the problems in achieving the targets.

Mr. Ambareesh later inspected the work on houses for slum-dwellers here. He was accompanied by Vasu, MLA, and officials from the Karnataka Housing Board (KHB) and the slum clearance board.

 
More Articles...


Page 20 of 118