Plan to ensure homes for all: T M Thomas Isaac

Kochi: The Finance Minister Dr. T.M. Thomas Isaac said the government will launch a project provide own houses to all in the state in the next five years. The minister said a list of those in need of the house will be prepared with the help of local bodies and it would be published. A person having a ration card will be entitled only for one house. Based on the list the local bodies will be permitted to take loans from cooperative banks.

The maximum financial assistance for a house will be Rs 2 lakh. Members from Scheduled Caste community will be given Rs 2.5 lakh per house while scheduled tribe '3 lakh, the minister said. The government will remit the interest for these loans directly the banks concerned. The principal will have to be repaid by the civic bodies from their own development fund.

The local bodies will be permitted to undertake the house construction with the help of charity, non-governmental organizations and contribution from the beneficiaries. The minister said by using prefabricated materials construction could be completed in a timely manner. The cost could also be restricted to the estimated about by using such materials.

The minister said the government will also implement a scheme for the completion of the half finished houses in this manner. He had mentioned that there are near5ly one lakh houses in the state in half-finished stages. The minister appealed to charity organizations, religious outfits and others to come forward for help in the completion of these unfinished houses.