30,000 houses for working class in many cities

BANGALORE: According to a new policy formulated by the state government, named after Bharat Ratna Sir M Visveswaraya, over 30,000 houses will be constructed in various towns and cities to benefit the working class obtaining monthly salaries lesser than `10,000.Housing Minister V Somanna made this announcement to the media here on Friday after chairing a meeting of officials of the housing and other departments. The minister said that 2,000 houses - 1,000 each in Shimoga and Koppal towns - would be built on a pilot basis in 2011-12. The deputy commissioners of the respective districts have been entrusted with the responsibility of locating suitable land.The state government will support the housing project, he said, adding that scheme beneficiaries will obtain a free site plus cash assistance of `50,000. The state government has announced its own housing scheme, the Basava and Vajpayee Ashraya scheme, for the homeless.He said that the DCs would be asked to acquire lands at prevailing market prices in the districts. The details of the housing scheme would be worked out after a formal approval in the next Cabinet meeting, Somanna said.Referring to the scarcity of lands in district headquarters, he said that efforts will be made to acquire lands by offering market prices to landholders. KSSIDC Chairman Karadi Sanganna said that the corporation would implement the scheme.