During a recent announcement, Housing and Minorities Welfare Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan revealed that Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has agreed to provide 2.32 lakh houses to state beneficiaries at no cost. This project, jointly managed by the Slums Development Board and the Rajiv Gandhi Housing Corporation, had been stalled for an extended period due to beneficiaries failing to meet their financial commitments.
Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan underscored that the Chief Minister made this announcement during the Karnataka Sambrama program in Hampi, emphasizing the government’s determination to see the project through.
The significant development came as a result of the state government’s decision to assume the financial responsibility of the beneficiaries. This commitment represents the sixth assurance by the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government. All 2.32 lakh houses are anticipated to be completed by the end of the upcoming year.
The estimated project cost, initially around Rs 8,000 crore, will be absorbed by the government in a phased manner. Discussions with the Finance Department officials are scheduled for the following week to work out the details.
This decision by the Chief Minister is expected to bring relief to 2.42 lakh families who had concerns about securing bank loans for housing. Each housing unit’s construction is valued at Rs 7 lakh, with state and union governments providing subsidies of up to Rs 3 lakhs, while beneficiaries were initially required to contribute Rs 4 lakh. The state government’s commitment to covering the beneficiaries’ share of the cost is a significant development in ensuring access to affordable housing for these families.