Himachal Housing Board to set up land bank

MARCH 3: Himachal Pradesh Housing Board has decided to create its own land bank for development and construction of new housing colonies ...

MARCH 3: Himachal Pradesh Housing Board has decided to create its own land bank for development and construction of new housing colonies in order to enable the people to avail housing facilities at cheaper rates.

Other major plans finalised by the board for the next financial year include construction of various functional, educational and hospital buildings beside development of infrastructure like sewerage and drinking water supplies in its proposed housing colonies. For this, the board has decided to raise an additional load of Rs 150 crore from the HUDCO.

Addressing a joint press conference, Housing Minister R. D. Kashyap and Vice-Chairman of the board Ganesh Dutt said the board, in its meeting held today had also decided to float a new scheme of public sector partnership in construction of the houses. Both the minister and vice-chairman said the board would introduce a concept of quality control in construction and also ensure time-bound completion of the houses to avoid cost escalation.

Giving other details, they said the board had already completed a demand survey for construction of new colonies at Palampur, Kullu, Shimla and Solan and the constructions would start immediately. For creation of the land bank, the board would start the process of acquisition of the land at Mandi, Chamba, Chail, Baddi, Hamirpur, Una and Kandighat.

The chief executive officer of the board, who replied to questions of media persons, said the board was in constant touch with research organisations to introduce new ways and means to reduce the cost of the houses and also implement the concept of hill architecture.

Some of the buildings had also been constructed to make these earthquake proof. He admitted that cost of the police housing buildings was likely to go up against the sanctioned money of the 10th Finance Commission. To meet the gap, some loan would also be raised from the HUDCO.

Dutt, who recently took over as chairman of the board, claimed that the board had become self-sufficient in its resources and had never asked for any grant-in -aid from the state government. The housing activities, which it had taken in hand, would further improve its financial position.

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Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal, who later also joined in at the briefing, said the government was ready to extend its help to the board to fulfill its objectives for providing cheaper shelter to the people, including service class.

Dhumal lashed out at the Congress for criticising the Centre for 8220;step-motherly8221; treatment in clearing railway projects. He reminded the Congress that it was for the first time that the Union Railway Ministry had protected the interests of Himachal by clearing railway line project for Kalka-Parwanoo and work on other projects for broad-gauge lines between Nangal to Chururu was already on.The CM said that his plea to the Centre to restore transport subsidy, which he raised in the meeting of the North Zone Council, had received support from Punjab, Haryana and Delhi chief ministers. The Union Home Minister had agreed to get the issue examined sympathetically.