Wait for the promised 2BHK houses in Telangana gets longer despite KTR's order

Hyderabad: There has been no headway in the allocation of 2BHK houses for the poor in GHMC limits despite the recent instructions of MAUD minister K.T. Rama Rao to expedite the allocation process.

Rao’s first signature on a file after assuming office in the new Secretariat pertained to the guidelines for distribution of 2BHK houses to one lakh people in the city.

However, officials are sitting on the allotment process. Going by their tardy approach it appears like the beneficiaries will have to wait for some more months to own their dream homes. Recently, 120 units were allocated in Murlildharbhag, where new ones were constructed in place of dilapidated houses.

The frustration of the beneficiaries was on show here on Thursday during the inauguration of 2BHKS at Kamalanagar in Jubilee Hills. A lady confronted the officials, who came for the inauguration, as her name was missing from the list.

Ironically, although two lakh units are ready to be occupied, they remain vacant because of official delays, a municipal official said. Official sources said that following Rama Rao's latest instructions, a fresh survey will be conducted to identify genuine applicants.

Ram Das Gagapally, who, along with his wife and two children, resides near VST, Musheerabad, said, "My wife submitted the forms over two years back. Last June, we heard that they are to allot houses. We rushed to the MRO office but found that it was just a rumour. Whenever leaders ask us to attend public meetings we leave our work to be there hoping that they will take the initiative to ensure that we get a house. "

D.G. Narsimha Rao, CPM Telangana state secretariat member, said “We have been holding agitations demanding the government to give a clarity on allocations. There is an absence of proper planning and commitment.” He added "Houses ready to occupy in Dundigal. Imagine if someone from Amberpet gets an allotment. Will the locals allow them to occupy?"

V. Padmanabha Reddy, secretary of Forum for Good Governance, said “The government's over-ambitious efforts are leading to such confusions. I wonder how two lakh houses are vacant when they are ready for allotment. When the government took over, construction of many houses under Rajiv Awas yojana were in the midway stage but the state government abandoned the project.”

G. Shanker Yadav, BJP floor leader in GHMC, said "When the government directed that application forms should be submitted at the collector's office, thousands of poor people rushed and duly oblige. And that was the end of their dreams. Allocation has been done only for those who owned houses that were rebuilt. What about those who are still living in rented houses?"