Centre funds Rs.3,231 crore to build 2.28 lakh houses for urban poor

The central government will provide Rs.3,231 crore to five states -- Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Rajasthana - for constructing 2,28,204 houses for urban poor.

The project was approved on Wednesday by the Union Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation Ministry.

Of the houses approved, 2,17,748 were for economically weaker sections (EWS), whereas the rest are for low income groups, an official statement said.

Under the two components, the central assistance at the rate of Rs.1.50 lakh per house will be provided.

Andhra Pradesh has been sanctioned 1,93,147 houses in 37 cities, followed by Gujarat with 15,580 houses in 4 cities, Telangana 10,290 in 10 cities, Rajasthan 6,255 in 10 cities and Tamil Nadu 2,932 houses in 5 cities.

"In the light of the experience of implementation of housing projects in the past, this time around the Ministry of HUPA has ensured availability of land for all the proposed projects with respective state governments providing land as their share of affordable housing in partnership," the statement said.