Bhubaneswar: At least 2,25,000 new pucca houses will be sanctioned over the next three years under the Antyodaya Griha Yojana in Odisha to improve the standard of living of weaker sections of society by providing them with permanent housing.
The cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, has approved the scheme with an outlay of Rs 7,550 crore.
Briefing the press on Saturday, the Chief Minister stated that families affected by natural or man-made disasters, those displaced due to government projects, households with a disabled person as the main earner, beneficiaries of the Forest Rights Act, and eligible families who have not benefited from existing housing schemes will be provided pucca houses under this initiative.
He further stated that beneficiaries under this scheme will receive financial assistance of Rs 1,20,000 for the construction of pucca houses with an area of 25 square meters (excluding the area of the toilet).
Additionally, beneficiaries of Antyodaya Griha Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin), Pradhan Mantri Janajati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN), and other government rural housing schemes who complete the construction of their houses within four months and six months of receiving the first installment will receive incentives of Rs 20,000 and Rs 10,000, respectively, Majhi said.
The scheme has also simplified the definition of a shack. Houses with asbestos, tin, or tile roofs are considered shacks, while RCC roofs with only cement added to the walls are also classified as shacks.
Majhi further clarified that the definition of a family under this scheme includes a husband, wife, dependent parents, and children.
