Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 11, 2010:
Impasse between MLAs and Councillors have literally freezed construction of 1250 houses for the poorer families living in 27 wards of Imphal Municipal Council.
A reliable source said that the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development sanctioned construction of houses for 1250 poor families residing under Imphal Municipal Council.
According to the sanction given by the Union Ministry, each house should be built at cost of Rs 3 lakhs.
Out of this, the State Government should contribute 10 per cent (Rs 30,000 each) as its share.
Although it is stipulated that all the 1250 houses should be built during 2010-2011, not a single house has been constructed till date notwithstanding the fact that the same housing project is a non-lapsable one.
The 1250 beneficiaries were selected from across 27 wards of Imphal Municipal Council based on a survey conducted by a retired Director of Statistics Department.
The survey report has been already submitted to MAHUD Department.
This project of building houses for poorer families provides options of two/three house models.
Beneficiaries may select any model of their choice and build their houses.
Each of these models give necessary specifications such as the area of land required, number of rooms included and position of kitchen.
The same housing scheme is also being implemented in metropolitan cities of the country.
The amount entitled to beneficiaries is grant and it should be paid through their own bank accounts in account payee mode.
MAHUD Department has issued an order in this regard, informed the source.
However, the noble scheme aimed at providing some assistance to poorer families of urban area has been seriously jeopardised on account of impasse between MLAs and Councillors.
Even a joint meeting of the MLAs concerned and Councillors has been held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister O Ibobi.
Rather than resolving the impasse, there was commotion between the MLAs and the Councillors and the meeting ended in a stalemate.
Although not a single house has been built so far, the Ministry has already asked for utilisation certificate, added the source.