AP Minister takes strong objection to Left's conduct

Hyderabad, May 9 (UNI) Taking strong objection to the Left parties act of 'taking law into their hands and hoisting party flags' on ''disputed lands'', Andhra Pradesh Housing Minister B Satyanarayana today said the government would provide houses for all eligible poor at any cost.

Terming the left's violent stir for land as ''undemocratic and unconstitutional,'' he asked at a press conference, ''will the CPI(M)-led Government give land for the poor in the Writer's building.'' He asked the Left parties to come out with the list of eligible persons for inclusion in the massive housing programme taken up by the Congress Government which had allocated a whopping amount of Rs 5,500 crore in the Budget.

The Rajasekhara Reddy government believed in the saturation concept of meeting the basic needs, including housing for various sections of the people.

The government will supply construction material, including cement and steel and set apart Rs 500 crore for providing subsidies.

As much as 48 lakh tonne of cement were supplied to the beneficiaries much below the market price, he added.

During the nine-year TDP rule, only 27 lakh houses were constructed for the poor in the state whereas 16.82 lakh of the 19 lakh houses sanctioned in the 8026 gram panchayats and 1371 Municipal wards during the Congress rule were almost complete.

Construction of another 65,000 houses were in progress in cities, he added.

UNI