Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot today laid foundation of an ambitious housing project to construct 12,000 duplex houses for the poor in Sanjay Nagar Bhatta Basti here.
Addressing a public gathering, Gehlot said all basic amenities and facilities such as water, power, roads, school, hospital and community hall will be provided under the project.
“Providing housing facilities to the poor is in our priorities. The Government wants to ensure that each family has a roof and we are working in this direction,” Gehlot said.
Gehlot accused the Opposition BJP of misleading people by “false claims and promises” and asked people to stay away from the “atmosphere” created by the BJP.
Under the ‘Rajiv Gandhi housing scheme’ at Sanjay Nagar Bhatta Basti, construction of 12,000 duplex houses has been planned. 2,212 houses will be constructed in the first phase with an estimated cost of Rs 60.87 crore and will be allotted to the poor living in slums.
Urban Development Minister Shanti Dhariwal, MP Mahesh Joshi, Mayor Jyoti Khandelwal, also addressed the gathering. They also accused the BJP of “misleading” people about the status of the project.
Dhariwal said it was the Congress Government which made efforts to get permission from the Supreme Court for the housing project as, earlier, the land where the project is to come up, was a forest land.
He said that previous BJP Government, despite not having permission from the Supreme Court, had started levelling work of the land and “misled poor people” in 2007.
“Congress Government made efforts and got permission from the Supreme Court to initiate this project. On the basis of the permission from the apex court, the Central Government gave a fresh nod for the project,” he said.