Construction of low cost housing units
SHILLONG: The State Government has floated an Expression of Interest (EOI) to identify the latest technologies which are available for construction of low cost housing units under the Meghalaya Housing Scheme (MHS).
“We have already floated the EOIs inviting bidders who have the latest technologies to construction the low cost housing units. The last date for the interested firms to participate in EOIs is January 7 next year,” Housing department director RM Kurbah informed here on Friday.
She said that the Government is planning to introduce the housing scheme, which will replace the age-old custom of distributing corrugated galvanized iron (CGI) sheets to the poor.
“The scheme is still in the conceptualized stage. We would be able to move further only when we have identified the technology which would be use for the construction of the low cost housing unit,” Kurbah said.
It may be mentioned that the decision to introduce the MHS comes in the wake of various allegations, which have been leveled against the distribution of CGI sheets.
According to the scheme, assistance will be provided to homeless people for constructing low cost homes worth Rs 1 lakh, she said.
Earlier, Housing Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh had said the new scheme is expected to reduce anomalies, which have allegedly plagued the procurement and distribution of CGI sheets.
“The government wants to reform the process of distribution of CGI sheets, which has always faced one problem or the other. Various allegations have also been leveled against the scheme,” she said.
Stating the government was preparing designs for low cost homes, Ampareen said, “There are many urban and rural dwellers belonging to the middle class, who dream of their own houses but they find it difficult in accessing financial support to build homes. The scheme will help such people to get their own houses. At present, the houses in Shillong are expanding in a haphazard way.”
The Meghalaya Right to Information Movement (MRTIM), a group of RTI activists, had brought to light various anomalies in the supply of CGI sheets.
According to the group’s findings, over Rs 9 crore has been allegedly “misappropriated” from 2003 to 2006 during the purchase of CGI sheets in Meghalaya, as part of PMGY scheme and the Rural Housing Scheme meant for providing roof sheets to the poor.