APTIDCO house distribution postponed: Beneficiaries disappointed yet again

Vijayawada (NTR District): The beneficiaries of AP Township and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (APTIDCO) houses are once again disappointed as the government put on hold the houses distribution programme.

In fact, the handing over of the houses to beneficiaries should have begun on December 21 in the combined Krishna district.

The authorities said that Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy would hand over the houses at Gudivada on his birthday. But it couldn't take place.

Consequently, the beneficiaries, who assumed that their long- cherished dream would come to reality, became disheartened again. As many as 27,872 TIDCO houses must be distributed in Krishna district.

Handing over of TIDCO houses to eligible beneficiaries has been facing several hurdles even though the houses and infrastructure facilities were almost completed three years ago in the combined Krishna district as well as across the State.

These houses were constructed in Vijayawada, Machilipatnam, Gudivada, Jaggaiahpeta, Nandigama, Tiruvuru and Vuyyuru in the erstwhile Krishna district. A total 8,912 houses were constructed in Gudivada, 6,576 houses in Vijayawada (VMC), 2,304 in Machilipatnam, 3,160 in Jaggaiahpeta, 2,240 houses in Nuziveedu, 2,496 in Vuyyuru, 240 in Nandigama and 1,536 in Tiruvuru.

TIDCO houses is the joint venture of both Central and State governments to cater the housing needs of the middle class and poor people of urban areas with an affordable pricing. The TIDCO houses were built in the State under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY).

AP TIDCO has constructed houses in three categories - 300 sq ft, 365 sq ft and 430 sq ft area in the state. Houses constructed in 430 sq ft will have double bedroom. The Central government sanctioned Rs 1.50 lakh for each house for the three category houses while the State government added its share to complete the houses.

The State government took one rupee from the beneficiaries for completing all the 300 sq ft houses and spent Rs 5,05,000 for each house. Likewise, 365 sq ft houses are being constructed at a cost of Rs 7.65 lakh, of which the State government's share is Rs 2.65 lakh and bank loan is Rs 3.15 lakh. The beneficiary share for 365 sq ft house is Rs 25,000.

The 430 sq ft double bedroom houses are constructed at a cost of Rs 8.65 lakh, of which the State government's share is Rs 2.90 lakh and bank loan is Rs 3.65 lakh. The beneficiary share is Rs 50,000.

Speaking to The Hans India, TIDCO Krishna and NTR districts Project Officer B Chinnodu said that due to various reasons, the proposed TIDCO housing distribution programme was postponed. "We are not aware of the new date. We have completed all the TIDCO township house constructions and infrastructure facilities works are also almost completed," he said.