After a year-long survey, the Tamil Nadu government has identified 9.11 lakh families below poverty line, who were left out from the socio-economic caste census (SECC) 2011, to enable them to benefit under the Centre’s housing scheme.
The survey was conducted by the rural development and panchayat raj department after the state government obtained the consent of the Centre to identify the BPL families who were left-out in the SECC 2011 census.
“We have identified 9.11 lakh BPL families in the survey and uploaded their data on the web portal of PM Awas Yojana portal. The data is under scrutiny by the implementing agency of the housing project,” said a senior official in the department.
Since only those in the SECC 2011are eligible to benefit under the PM housing scheme, 9.11 lakh families were not considered under the scheme.
“Once the Centre adds them to the SECC list, they will be added to the beneficiaries list under the housing schemes in a phased manner,” said the official, noting that following the TN government’s initiative to add the left out BPL families in the 2011 census, several other state governments have also taken up such survey.
Under the housing scheme, each beneficiary would be extended financial aid to the tune of Rs1.20 lakh in four stages of construction of the houses. While 60% of the fund would be allocated by the Centre, the state government would sanction the remaining 40%. “Apart from this, the TN government will sanction Rs 50,000 in addition to each beneficiary towards the construction cost and installing solar panels,” said the official.
The state government has also conducted a special drive to identify people affected in Gaja cyclone in delta districts, particularly in Thanjavur, Nagapattinam, Pudukottai and Tiruvarur. The government has identified 1.12 lakh people, who did not get house pattas.
“We have also uploaded their names in the Centre government’s housing scheme portal and requested,” said the official. He further said that the government is keen to construct concrete houses to replace all the thatched huts in delta and coastal districts to ensure the safety of people during natural disasters in the future.