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Poverty Alleviation

‘First phase of BSUP scheme will be completed by Dec. 31'

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The Hindu      04.08.2010

‘First phase of BSUP scheme will be completed by Dec. 31'

Special Correspondent


Each house cost

Rs. 1.44 lakh

Phase I is initially planned for 12,000 beneficiary families


COIMBATORE: The Phase I of the Basic Services for Urban Poor (BSUP), under which houses are being constructed for slum dwellers, will be completed by December 31, the deadline for this phase, Coimbatore Corporation Commissioner Anshul Mishra said recently.

The first phase involved the construction of houses on the very site on which the slum dwellers lived now. Each house, measuring about 260 sq.ft. cost Rs.1.44 lakh. The beneficiaries had to contribute 20 per cent. To enable them pay this, the Corporation had tied up with banks to provide them with loans for four per cent interest in order. In another phase, multi-storey tenements were being constructed for families living in slums that encroached upon water bodies, roads and other spaces owned by the Government. Phase I was initially planned for 12,000 beneficiary families as per the first detailed project report. But, many families identified as beneficiaries in this were found to be ineligible. A number of them were living on sites categorised as objectionable ‘poramboke.' Of the 5,700 eligible beneficiaries, some were not willing to construct new houses. A few of them said they did not want to demolish recently-constructed walls in order to build a totally new house. A few others said the sites they occupied were too small for even a 260 sq.ft. house. At least 95 per cent of them had been provided with work orders for the construction of the houses. The rest would also get the orders soon. But, a major problem was that beneficiaries did not start the work despite getting the orders.

“We are convincing the people to build the houses and are confident of meeting the December 31 deadline,” the Commissioner said. As for the multi-storey tenements with 9,600 flats, the Corporation had asked the State Government for an additional Rs.140 crore as the original outlay of Rs.185 crore would not be sufficient to provide structures that could withstand an earthquake.

Last Updated on Wednesday, 04 August 2010 06:45
 

TN gets Plan Panel nod for additional Rs 150 cr

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Deccan Chronicle 04.05.2010

TN gets Plan Panel nod for additional Rs 150 cr

May 4th, 2010
May 3: The Planning Commission Monday approved Tamil Nadu’s annual plan outlay for Rs 20,068 crore, including Rs 150 crore additional Central assistance for projects of special interest to the state, as sought by chief minister M. Karunanidhi, for fiscal 2010-11. The plan was finalised here at a meeting between Planning Commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia and Mr Karunanidhi. The outlay is about Rs 2,600 crore higher than the previous year’s outlay.

During the meeting, Mr Karunanidhi said the state was committed to social justice and inclusive growth. It had introduced the Kalaignar housing scheme to transform Tamil Nadu into a hutless state in six years and the health insurance scheme, introduced to provide relief to the poor, would benefit 1.44 crore families.

Mr Karunanidhi sought more funds for the Pradhan Mantri Grameen Sadak Yojana to the state for new link roads for habitations with a population of over 250 as all habitations with 1,000 or more population have been provided link roads. “All new schemes would be announced later,” he quipped when reporters sought to know about the schemes on the anvil. "We had very good discussion on the power situation in the state,” he added.

Mr Ahluwalia said the state’s economic performance was “very impressive and better than the national average during 2004-05 to 2006-07. The state has an impressive record of improvement in human development indices and growth in industry and services. It has a dynamic services sector and relatively stagnant agriculture. The commission suggested the state lay more emphasis on agricultural growth and improve productivity by further developing dry lands. Water management was required to be optimised. “Schemes should be devised in the state sector and matching funds provided in order to avail of Central assistance under various schemes for industrial development,” he said. Earlier, Mr Karunanidhi held detailed discussions with Tamil Nadu cadre IAS officials.

 

“Provide quality education to the poor”

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The Hindu 29.04.2010

“Provide quality education to the poor”

Staff Reporter

MADURAI: An educational framework emphasising the immediate need to provide quality education to the poor children, youth of rural areas and the deprived sections of the urban was the focus during a seminar held at Gandhi Museum here by Student's Democratic Movement recently.

Attended by teachers, university professors, students and parents, the seminar covered the important aspects of Right to Education Bill, National Council for Higher Education and Research and Foreign Universities Bill.

P.Renga Ramanujam, Director, STRIDE Indira Gandhi National Open University, said people, who talk of introducing Tamil at all levels of teaching, should practically do something for the development of Tamil such that it could be used for teaching all disciplines.

Last Updated on Thursday, 29 April 2010 04:22
 


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