Govt implementing housing programme for priests: Minister

Hyderabad, Mar 26 (UNI) The Andhra Pradesh government is implementing a new housing programme ''Dharmikapuram'' for priests and other temple employees in the state, Endowments Minister J Ratnakar Rao said today.

Responding to a calling attention motion in the assembly by Congress members D Sridhar Babau and Dronamraju Srinivas, the Minister said under this programme, funds of the Archaka Welfare Fund Trust would be combined with the State Housing Programme to construct housing colonies wherever temple employees wished to have a colony of their own.

Outlining the steps taken by the government for welfare of temple employees, he said for employees working on regular pay scales, margin money linked with institutional finance would be considered to an extent of 25 per cent of the unit cost subject to a ceiling of Rs 50,000 per individual on a simple interest of four per cent.

For those on consolidated pay, a direct housing loan would be considered by the Trust, subject to a ceiling of Rs 50,000, he said, adding that in case of repairs, Rs 30,000 would be provied at four per cent intrest rate under a mortgage agreement or with surety of another permanent employee.

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