Rajiv Gandhi Housing scheme remains nightmare for Mysoreans

To provide shelter to socially and economically weaker sections (EWS) of the society, the Government of Karnataka set up the Rajiv Gandhi Rural Housing Corporation Limited, registered in the year 2000. Though several beneficiaries were identified in Mysore who were eligible for getting houses built under the Scheme, thousands of them have still not received their promised dream houses.

The beneficiaries whose names were shortlisted are eagerly waiting for eight long years with the hope that one day their houses would be allotted. Most of them are in a dilemma whether to take back the money they had paid as deposit or continue to wait, not knowing for how long.

In all, 4605 beneficiaries residing in the three constituencies of Krishnaraja, Chamaraja and Narasimharaja were shortlisted and a sum of about Rs 4.32 core was collected from them. This happened 8 years ago in the year 2004.

Immediately after that, stating that the lands are yet to be identified the officials stopped accepting any new beneficiaries and also failed to provide any accommodation to the 4605 beneficiaries who had paid the initial amount.

According to sources in the Housing Corporation, around 8 to 10 per cent of the beneficiaries who belong to EWS like weavers, artisans, fishermen, hawkers, roadside vegetable vendors, beedi workers, mechanics and others who come under the scheme, have taken back the money, while remaining crores of rupees is at the Housing Corporation.

Every beneficiary had to pay to Rs 35,000 for house, in which Rs 10,000 had to be paid as initial amount, while the remaining Rs 25,000 will be provided as loan. In 2000-2001 – 859 beneficiaries have obtained houses, followed by 500 and 425 in 2002 and 2003.

Now with the inordinate delay the cost of construction and labour charges have gone up considerably and the officials want to revise the rates and collect the deposits afresh. But this will happen only after the place to build these houses is identified.

One of the beneficiary named Srinivas said, “I have been waiting for the past eight years for an allotment. Citing the reason that no place has been identified, the concerned officials ask us to comeback after a few months. It seems like it is impossible to own a house in our lifetime.”

The MLA's in the respective constituencies who short-listing the names of the eligible beneficiaries are neither bothered to see that the project is completed in time and the beneficiaries are allotted their promised houses, he rued.