Andhra Pradesh government to spend Rs 2,500-crore on housing for poor: Yanamala Ramakrishnudu

RAJAHMUNDRY (ANDHRA PRADESH): Andhra Pradesh government today said it has earmarked a sum of Rs 2,500 crore in the state budget for the construction of houses for the poor and backward classes.

"A new scheme for construction of houses for the poor at Rs 1 lakh and for the SC and ST communities at Rs 1.50 lakh was envisaged and an amount of Rs 2,500 crore was allocated this year in the state budget for the purpose," said AP Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu.

He was speaking at the inauguration of a Housing Colony constructed at a cost of Rs 22.73 crore under the Integrated Housing and Slum Development Programmes ( IHSDP) at Pandavulametta in Peddapuram Municipality.

"Irregularities had been reported in the earlier housing construction scheme and, therefore, a scrutiny will be launched... Once it is complete, the new housing scheme will be taken up," he added.

Former AP chief minister the late NT Rama Rao had introduced the pucca housing scheme in 1983 and each unit was constructed at a cost of Rs 6,000 in 1984, the minister said, adding, "We are also taking steps to construct housing colonies on vacant lands."