The Union Minister of State for Home, Nityanand Rai on Monday handed over possession letters and keys of houses at Maloya to 15 families under Affordable Rental Housing Scheme.
On the occasion, he congratulated all the 1700 beneficiaries of the Affordable Rental Scheme and asked them to maintain cleanliness and hygiene.
He said that two-room flats with kitchen space, bathroom and balcony will provide them dignified living. The Minister appreciated efforts of the UT Administration for providing houses to the migrant laborers, street vendors, industrial workers and other poor persons.
He also congratulated the UT Administration for being the first among all the states or UTs, in the country to implement the Affordable Rental Housing Complexes (ARHCs)
Scheme and also completing about 80 percent target within such a short period.
He advised the Administration to ensure that all the beneficiaries of the ARHC scheme are linked with other welfare schemes like Ayushman Bharat, cooking gas pipeline, and Direct Benefit Transfer Schemes initiated by Prime Minister.
Manoj Parida, Adviser to UT Administrator and chairman Chandigarh Housing Board, said that Chandigarh has relocated about 1700 families within a short period of two months.
He said that all the allottees have been provided water and electricity connections on the day of possession and most of them have started living in the good atmosphere.
Notably, the Union Government has initiated ARHCs as a pro-poor and significant step for urban migrants or poor. Utilizing existing government funded vacant houses in cities by converting them into ARHCs, these will provide them dignified living with all civic amenities.
For the implementation of the scheme, the Chandigarh Administration had appointed the Chandigarh Housing Board as state level nodal agency and concessionaire for the scheme. The initial monthly rent has been fixed as Rs 3000 with biennially enhancement by 8 percent and the maximum rental period under the scheme is 25 years.
2195 vacant small flats at Maloya were earmarked and it was decided to relocate occupants of Pre-Fab Shelters at Sector-52 and 56 under the ARHC Scheme. The CHB has allotted 1703 flats to the families staying in Pre-Fab Shelters.
Apart from this, about 500 more families will be provided similar flats on affordable rent of Rs. 3000 per month.
Later, the Union Minister also reviewed the flagship schemes of Chandigarh. A brief presentation on the 47 schemes of various sectors being implemented in Chandigarh was made . The Minister emphasised that the basic thrust of implementation should be on eradication of poverty and to fulfill the basic needs of the people with the available resources to make them self-reliant.
