Tripura govt draws up action plan for homeless

Agartala, Nov 18: The Tripura Government has contemplated an Action Plan for providing houses to the homeless in the 13 urban areas by 2012, Urban Development Minister Manik Dey said.

Speaking at the National Conference on Housing and Human Settlement at Hyderabad yesterday, Mr Dey said at present 17.76 per cent of the state's total population was living in urban areas and it was estimated that by 2010, the number will reach to 25 per cent.

He said of the 3.67 lakhs living in this capital city, 44 per cent people are living on Government land and the number of slums on Government land was higher in the capital city, he said.

The state government has been taking initiatives to improve the condition of the slums and also providing low cost housing under VAMBAY and other schemes, Mr Dey said.

There are 172 slum pockets in the state having more than 1.2 lakhs population and under the two million Housing programme, 734 dwelling units were constructed with the help of loan from HUDCO.

The state government, had sent a proposal to the Union Ministry demanding an amount of Rs 11 crores for housing and sanitation programme during 2005 and another proposals for Rs 17.80 crores was sent to the ministry during 2004 for various development works in the capital city including construction of night shelter. But all the proposals remained unattended, the minister allegd and demanded early sanction by the Union Ministry.

The state government also sought an amount of Rs 40 crores for implementation of various schemes in other 13 Nagar Panchayats of the state and the proposal was sent to the Ministry during 2004-05, but that too is yet to be cleared, the minister rued.

Mr Dey, however, thanked the Union Government and HUDCO for extending support to the housing activity of the state.

The meeting was organised to discuss Housing and Urbanisation issues with the 13 states of the country, by the Union Ministry.

UNI