Implementation on 37 schemes for construction of pucca houses for the poor and improvement of slums is going on at a fast pace in 34 cities of Madhya Pradesh. The cost of these schemes being conducted under Integrated Housing and Slum Improvement Project is Rs 27,035.99 lakh.

The scheme has been implemented by merging National Slum Development Programme and Valmiki Ambedkar Yojana under which 18,503 houses are being constructed in 37 cities of the State. Under the scheme, 80 per cent funds are allocated by the Union Government and 8 to 10 per cent grant is given by the State Government. The beneficiary’s share is only 10 to 12 per cent.

The Union Government has fixed the cost of a housing unit at Rs 80,000 for practical purposes; it is being felt that this cost is less. Efforts are being made to solve this issue after which the pace of construction of houses will gather momentum.

Under the scheme, 4,576 houses are being constructed for the urban poor in Gwalior city and 2,108 in Khandwa under two schemes.

Pucca houses are also being made for the urban poor in Ganj Basoda, Lateri, Vidisha, Sironj, Kurwai, Berasia in Bhopal division and Khujner in Rajgarh district.

In Khandwa, Depalpur, Pansemal and Dewas in Indore division, 2,724 houses will be constructed. In all, 2,182 houses will be constructed in Katni, 966 in Balaghat, 651 in Narsinghpur, 240 each in Patan and Barela, 104 in Shahpura, 140 in Majholi and 104 in Damoh. Besides, 192 houses will be constructed in Indore division’s Betma and Gautampura, 240 in Petlawad in Jhabua, 153 in Itarsi, 180 in Mandideep, 297 in Hoshangabad, 192 in Orchha, 833 in Burhanpur and 167 in Jaora.

In all, 480 houses will be constructed at a cost of Rs 493.36 lakh in Sagar, 500 in Chhindwara city and 267 and 461 houses respectively in Mehgaon and Saunsar in the same district.

The cost of these houses will be Rs 320.13 lakh and Rs 499.26 lakh respectively.