After a hiatus of nearly 14 years, the defunct Gujarat Housing Board (GHB) on Wednesday decided to build over 6,000 houses under various categories in four cities of Ahmedabad, Vaddoara, Rajkot and Surat.
The move by GHB assumes political importance in the backdrop of Gujarat Congress's 'Own your home' scheme where it has promised low cost houses to poor and middle income groups if they are voted to power in the forthcoming assembly polls. The party has distributed as many as 30 lakh forms across eight municipal corporations and 159 municipalities in a run up to the elections scheduled later this year.
"We have decided to conduct a survey across the state to assess the demand of houses for low income group (LIG), middle income group (MIG) and higher income group (HIG)," GHB chairman Jayanti Barot said.
He said that in the board meeting held on Wednesday they have decided to build 6,300 houses under seven projects spreading across the state. "The decision for the new houses to be built for LIG, MIG and HIG, has been finalised by the board. The advertisement would be made from next week. Forms for the schemes will also be made available from next week," Barot said.
"Out of the seven new schemes, two will be in Rajkot, three in Ahmedabad, one each in Surat and Vadodara," he added. According to Barot the contractors for the schemes would be finalised shortly.
When asked about why the GHB decided to float new scheme after 14 years, Barot said that he had been planning scheme since last eight months.
He also clarified that the announcement of the new schemes had nothing to do with the Congress distributing forms for 'own your house' scheme.
The last project the GHB executed was in 1998-99. Since then it has not announced new schemes and have been busy collecting dues from the defaulters.
