70,000 houses for married defence personnel to be finished by 2018: Parrikar

In the past year, 16,000 such flats have been completed against 5,000 in the past 10 years, the Defence Minister said

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar today said all 70,000 houses proposed to be constructed under marriage accommodation project (MAP) for Armed forces would be complete by 2018.

"Under (Atal Bihari) Vajpayee government the proposal to have MAP was conceived. Out of total two lakh, 70,000 were supposed to be built under first phase," Parrikar said today.

He said subsequent governments have failed to complete the project and in the past 10 years, only 5,000 flats have been built.

"But in one year, 16,000 were completed for MAP. Next year 30,000 houses will be completed and by 2018 all the 70,000 houses would be built. The first phase would be completed in 2018," the Defence Minister said. 

He said the roads leading to the borders were also being completed.

"Few roads were getting completed at the rate of one foot a day. The work on hard rock was slowed down. We provided them automatic drilling machine. Now 10-12 feet of road is completed daily. We aim to complete 25 feet of road in a day," he added.

Referring to the controversies surrounding his statements in New Delhi, Parrikar said Opposition parties, which can't point out any fault in the government, are resorting to such unwanted controversies.

The Opposition can't digest our performance and hence is making such statements, the minister added.