PM's intervention brings finance for Housing Board

Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 23: Kerala Forest and Housing Minister Binoy Viswam today told the state assembly that the Prime Minister's intervention had been sought for financial assistance to the state Housing Board from the Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO).

Replying to a Calling Attenton motion by Mr K Babu (Cong), he said Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan had written to the Prime Minister in this regard.

HUDCO suspended loans to the Housing Board following default but agreed to restore cash flow after the dues were cleared in instalments.

Mr Viswam said the Housing Board had completed renovationn of 951 houses, constructed under the 'one lakh housing scheme'. It had also taken up construction of 3,500 houses for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

Replying to another Calling Attention by Mr Anthalavattom Anandan (CPI-M), Fisheries Minister S Sarma said 25,000 fishermen families would have additional income with the completion of tsunami rehabilitation projects in two years.

He said the Centre had allotted Rs 162.82 crore to the fisheries sector for tsunami rehabilitation.

UNI