Shillong, Sept 13 : The Meghalaya
government is planning to introduce a Rs 1 lakh housing scheme from next
year, which will replace the age-old custom of distributing corrugated
galvanised iron (CGI) sheets to the poor.
The decision to introduce the Meghalaya
Housing Scheme comes in the wake of various allegations, which have been
levelled against the distribution of CGI sheets.
“The proposal is still in the planning
stage but the government is actively considering the same. Nine
departments of the government have agreed to such a scheme,” housing
minister Ampareen Lyngdoh said today.
According to the scheme, assistance will
be provided to homeless people for constructing low cost homes worth Rs 1
lakh, she said.
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 Pradhan Mantri
Gramodaya Yojana (PMGY) scheme and the Rural Housing Scheme meant for
providing roof sheets to the poor.
Ampareen 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 levelled
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.”