Hyderabad, July 5 (IANS) The Telangana government is committed to the construction of one lakh houses under the Indiramma scheme in Greater Hyderabad, said state minister Ponnam Prabhakar on Sunday.

He stated that the Congress government’s goal is to realise the dream of owning a home for every poor family. He also gave an assurance that the poor will be provided houses in close areas where they have their livelihood.

Minister for Transport and Backward Classes (BC), Ponnam Prabhakar, who is also the in-charge minister for Hyderabad, was speaking at an event where he handed over ownership documents to beneficiaries of the housing scheme.

Minorities Welfare Minister, Mohammed Azharuddin, Government Whip Addanki Dayakar, MLAs Akbaruddin Owaisi, Majid Hussain, and District Collector Dr Priyanka Ala Latha attended the meeting.

Ponnam Prabhakar stated that the government’s goal is to provide dignified permanent housing to eligible poor homeless families. He clarified that the government is systematically moving forward with plans to construct and provide houses in the same areas for the poor who are engaged in various occupations in Hyderabad city.

The minister said that the government recognises the hardships faced by the beneficiaries who have been waiting for houses for the past decade and, as a representative of the government, expresses regret for that delay.

Congratulating families receiving houses, he described this as a historic moment. He informed that under the leadership of Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, the government has formulated a housing construction policy keeping the livelihoods of the poor in mind. He revealed that a decision has been taken to utilise valuable government lands to construct and provide houses not far from the areas where the poor work, but right in the localities where they are employed.

He stated that the government has undertaken operations with the goal of constructing one lakh Indiramma houses in Greater Hyderabad.

Similarly, he said that ration cards have been provided to every eligible family, and the government is implementing a policy to issue ration cards within 48 hours of eligible individuals submitting applications. Along with ration cards, the distribution of quality fine rice, free electricity of 200 units to eligible families, and other welfare programmes are being effectively implemented by the government.

Noting that the government is giving utmost priority to women’s economic empowerment, the minister called for extensively increasing membership in women’s self-help groups in Hyderabad. He said that interest-free loans and self-employment opportunities are being provided to women, and through free bus travel for women, it has become immensely convenient for them to access education, employment, family needs, and places of worship.

He stated that the government is paying special attention to providing job opportunities to unemployed youth, and the process of filling vacancies in various departments is ongoing.

–IANS

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