VIJAYAWADA: The completion of 18 lakh houses by January 2019 is his top priority, said Chief Minister Mr N. Chandrababu Naidu. Addressing the Collectors' Conference on the second day on Friday, the CM has given specific instructions for the completion of the houses. In return, the officers also informed the CM that housing has slowed down in Rayalaseema districts.

Housing secretary Mr Kantilal Dande said that there are 3 schemes that are currently being implemented throughout the state. He reported that out of the 2 lakh houses allotted in 2016-17 under NTR Rural Housing, 100 per cent of them have been accorded administrative sanctions and 96 per cent have taken off the ground.





“63 per cent of the houses that were started have been completed, but collectors of Kadapa, Kurnool, Chittoor and Anantapur must ensure faster progress,” Mr Dande said.

Out of the houses allotted in 2017-18, 1.88 lakh houses have been accorded administrative sanctions but only 29,334 houses have been completed. Visakhapatnam, Anantapur and Krishna District Collectors were urged to complete the houses faster.

Under NTR Rural Housing (Gramin), 72,885 houses have been allotted and 18,219 have been completed. Secretary Mr Kantilal Dande urged all collectors to focus more on the houses under this scheme. Under all the three schemes in NTR Housing, 2.5 lakh houses will be completed by end of January and 5 lakh houses will be completed by end of 2018. A total of 13,05,555 houses have been allotted at a cost of `19,259 crore.

The Chief Minister directed that by March 2019, 18 to 19 lakh houses must be completed. “Departments should ensure geo-tagging and regular records of videos for virtual reviews of the different housing projects,” he added.