April 27, 2014

Housing for all

Tanmay Mondal
IIM graduate, Batch of 2014


Shelter is a basic human need next only to food and clothing. At the end of the 12th Five Year Plan, the housing shortage is estimated to be 40 million. In last 34 months, the West Bengal Government has initiated several policies, so that they can provide shelter to the homeless people of the state.


Gitanjali and Aamar Thikana under E.W.S Scheme

The construction work of 94,180 houses is going on under E.W.S project in rural areas for the financially weak people. 720 flats have been constructed at New Town and Rajarhat under ‘Gitanjaliprakalpo which will be distributed to the homeless people of those areas.


Motels for convenience of the common man

A plan has been undertaken to construct Motels or Passenger Facilitation Centers for convenience of the passenger at every 50 km distance beside the state highways and other important roads

Those Motels have been named as ‘Pothosathi

Construction work of 12 Motels are in the final stage. Those are 1) Raghunathpur 2) Karjana 3) Santipur 4) Haringhata 5) Krishnanagar 6) Diamond Harbour 7) Pailan 8) Baharampur 9) Nandakumar 10) Jamaldaha 11) Bagdogra 12) Chalsah

Additionally, construction work of 18 Motels has also begun at 1) Jhargram 2) Kharagpur 3) Farakka 4) Old Malda 5) Patiram 6) Mathapukur 7) Tarakeswar 8) Debra 9) Narayangarh 10) Pankhabari 11) Sukhna 12) Tapan 13) Hili 14) Bagnan 15) Rampurhat 16) Gaighata 17) Ashoknagar 18) Petrapole


Night Shelters

80 bedded ‘Night shelters’ have been constructed at the Nilratan Sirkar Medical College and Hospital for convenience of the relatives of the patients. The construction work is in its final stage. ‘Night Shelter’ of the same kind is also being constructed at Diamond Harbour District Hospital.


Rental hostels for working women

Construction work of a 40 bedded hostel (Ananya) at Durgapur has been completed. One 44 bedded hostel (Sayamsiddha) at Salt Lake has been renovated. Construction of a hostel will start at Ibrahimpur and in Jadavpur.


Housing for Government employees

50 thousand houses will be constructed for the Group ‘C’ and Group ‘D’ government employees under ‘Akankha’ prakalpo

Among these, the PWD will construct 30 thousand houses and the Housing Department will construct 20 thousand houses. Primarily, 100 crore has been allotted for this purpose

In this project, employees will get land at very low prices. They will also be provided with loans on easy terms and with the facility of repayment in installments

The construction works of 48 flats at Bishnupur and 24 flats at Diamond Harbour are over

The construction works of 60 flats at Khatra, 24 flats at Bachhurdoba in Jhargram and 48 flats at Ghatal, are on the verge of completion

The construction work of the new Rental Housing Estate (G+10) at Salt Lake for the high-ranking government officials has been started


Pratyasha - Housing for police personnel

Provision for housing for police personnel has been facilitated through Pratyasha Prakalpo. In this project, almost 10 thousand houses will be constructed within next three years. This project includes the facility of repayment of loans through EMI.


L.I.G./M.I.G Housing

The entire construction works of 48 flats for the people from low income group (LIG) at New Town - Rajarhat and 48 flats for the people from middle income group (MIG) are on the way of completion.


Auditorium

A new auditorium has been constructed at Kusthia.


Noteworthy decisions

Entire ‘Quota’ system has been abolished regarding flat distribution in the Housing department and in all the other undertaken departments

A special scheme has been made for arranging accommodation for the Bangabibhusan awardees, which does not have any residence in Kolkata.

All the information of Housing Department (http://www.wbhousing.gov.in/) and Housing Board (http://www.wbhousingboard.in/) is being regularly published for the people through the official website.

Seniority based and computerized distribution of flats has been started in R.H.I, P.R.H.E and Housing Board.

An initiative has been taken to install online system to make the entire system more transparent.

Housing Board has given sanctions for distribution of flats to 608 persons from L.I.G under new ‘STARLIT’ prokalpo and 560 persons from M.I.G. under new ‘MOONBEAM’ prokalpo.