Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has announced the construction of an additional 2,91,666 houses under the Antyodaya Gruha Yojana.
The Chief Minister has also decided to extend the implementation period of the scheme by two years until 2029.
A statement from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said on Thursday that the scheme’s total outlay will remain unchanged at Rs 7,550 crore, but Rs 3,500 crore earmarked for house repairs will be diverted towards the construction of new houses, according to the decision.
The move would help the state achieve its goal of providing housing to all eligible families at the earliest, said Majhi.
The state government has directed the Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Department to conduct a survey at the earliest to identify new beneficiaries. Those who have received ₹48,500 or less, along with other eligible applicants, will be considered for inclusion under the scheme.
The government has also revised the incentives for beneficiaries completing house construction within the stipulated time. Those completing their houses within five months will now receive an incentive of Rs 35,000, against the earlier incentive of Rs 20,000 for completion within four months.
Similarly, beneficiaries completing construction within seven months will receive Rs 20,000, compared with the earlier incentive of Rs 10,000 for completion within six months.
It may be noted that the Antyodaya Gruha Yojana was launched with a target of providing houses to five lakh families, particularly poor and vulnerable households that were not eligible for housing assistance under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.
The decision is expected to further widen the scheme’s coverage and enable more eligible families to secure permanent houses.