Minister warns action against Officials

Bangalore, Apr 28 (UNI) Karnataka will initiate criminal action against officials who allot houses and sites meant for targeted groups such as families below poverty Line and slum dwellers to others, Housing Minister D T Jayakumar today warned.

Talking to newsmen here, he said that instances have been brought to his notice that the houses and sites built for such categories had been diverted in the past. ''This amounted to cheating the government and criminal action will be taken against the offenders'' he added.

He blamed the previous governments for constructing poor quality houses under various housing schemes and said some of them have been given demolition notice as they have been certified unfit for dwelling.

He said under the National Urban Renewal Mission (NURM) the government proposed to take up 15 projects in Bangalore and Mysore at a cost of Rs 137.10 crores to shift slums and similarly for other cities and towns 20 projects would be taken up at a cost of Rs 38 crore.

Under NURM scheme the Centre would provide 50 per cent of the fund with the State government and the beneficiary sharing equally the remaining 50 per cent.

Mr Jayakumar said that to coincide with the Golden Jubilee of the State reorganisation and also Karnataka Housing Board, 50 new projects at a cost of RS 1389 crore would be taken up with HUDCO funding. The Housing Board would also take up new projects in various areas around Bangalore to meet the growing demand.

UNI VK MSP RKN1417