The Andhra Pradesh government has decided to install energy-efficient electric appliances in all the newly constructed 20 lakh houses under the Navaratnalu- Pedalandariki Illu scheme.
Special Chief Secretary (Housing) Ajay Jain on July 17 (Monday) told The Hindu that the State government had entered a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), a public sector undertaking under the Union Ministry of Power, for the purpose. He said that the EESL agreed to support the State government.
Mr. Ajay Jain said that energy-efficient appliances such as tube light, bulb and a fan costing around ₹4,000 would be installed in each newly constructed house. “These appliances will help reduce power consumption and check environment pollution and save money of the users, he added.
Mr. Ajay Jain said that the beneficiaries of the housing scheme might not be in a position to afford the energy-efficient bulbs and fittings. Hence, the government has decided to support the beneficiaries.
‘5 lakh houses by July-end’
The government is expecting to complete the construction of at least 5 lakh houses for the poor by the July-end or August first week. As on July 17, more than 4.45 lakh houses have been constructed across the State, said Mr. Ajay Jain, adding that the remaining 55,000 houses, a part of the present 5-lakh target, will be built by the July-end. “In all likelihood, Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy will give away these houses to the beneficiaries in August,” he said.
Mr. Ajay Jain said the government would also ensure power connection, water supply, construction of soak pits and Jagananna Housing Colony Arches in all the layouts. The soak pits have been sanctioned recently and it may take a more month for completing the works.
CRDA houses
The Special Chief Secretary said that construction of houses for the poor in the R5 Zone of Amaravati would commence on July 24. The Chief Minister will launch the construction of these houses formally on that day and the house sanction proceedings for 47,000 beneficiaries, he added.
He said that the government wanted to construct the houses in Amaravati by using shear wall technology, apart from traditional bricks. About 35,000 houses will be constructed by using shear wall technology and the rest with bricks, he added.
Mr. Ajay Jain further said that the government had decided to use shear wall technology due to the shortage of labourers and bricks.
‘No stay order from court’
Referring to the legal issues pertaining to the housing project in the R5 Zone in the capital city, Mr. Ajay Jain said that there was no stay order on it and the court did not issue any order prohibiting the government from construction of these houses. “The government is following the court orders in this regard,” he added.
