House distribution programme in Hubballi on January 24

A house distribution programme will be held by the government of Karnataka in Hubballi on January 24.

Speaking at a preparatory meeting in Dharwad on January 19 to review the arrangements for the event, Labour Minister and district-in-charge for Dharwad Santosh Lad said that the landmark house distribution programme under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) reflects the government’s commitment to public welfare schemes.

In the programme to be held at 11 a.m. on January 24 off Mantur Road in Hubballi, houses will be symbolically handed over to the beneficiaries. A total of 42,345 houses have been built across Karnataka. They will be inaugurated and distributed starting January 24. Karnataka’s Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and a host of ministers are expected to participate in the event.

Mr. Lad said that in Dharwad district, 2,169 houses were sanctioned under the scheme. And of them, 1,137 houses had been constructed at identified locations as ‘pucca’ houses, while complexes comprising 1,032 houses had also been constructed. During the Hubballi programme, title deeds would be issued to around 3,000 beneficiaries from Dharwad district, he said.

Minister for Housing, Waqf and Minority Welfare B.Z. Zameer Ahmed Khan said that of the 1,80,253 houses sanctioned under PMAY in Karnataka, the construction 1,29,986 houses was taken up, and 86,651 houses had been completed. In the first phase, 36,789 houses were inaugurated and distributed among beneficiaries, and the construction of 43,335 houses was underway, he said.

He said that of the 42,345 houses being inaugurated and distributed during the Hubballi event, 20,312 houses belong to members SC/ST communities and the remaining 22,033 were for people of other communities.

Officials in Hubballi have been told to expect around two lakh people from the districts of Dharwad, Gadag and Haveri at the event, and to make arrangement accordingly.

Chief Whip of Karnataka Legislative Council Saleem Ahmed and KSDB Chairperson and MLA Prasad Abbayya stressed on the need for ensuring proper arrangements for transportation and food distribution during the event.

In-Charge Deputy Commissioner and ZP CEO Bhuvanesh Patil and HDMC Commissioner Rudresh Ghali stated that 10 different committees had been formed to oversee the arrangement.

Arrangements being made in Hubballi

Another preparatory meeting with Congress party workers was held in Hubballi on January 19 evening wherein KSDB Chairperson Prasad Abbayya, Ministers B.Z. Zameer Ahmed and Santosh Lad, and others called on the workers to contribute towards smooth conduct of the event.

Mr. Prasad Abbayya said that a pandal to accommodate nearly 1.3 lakh persons had been erected, and other arrangements were being put in place. Mr. Zameer Ahmed emphasised that the programme was neither his personal initiative nor a party event, but a programme dedicated to the poor and their upliftment.