Grant for OBC, SC families for reconstruction of old house

Panaji: Goa government will provide upto Rs 2 lakh for reconstruction of an existing house and upto Rs 75,000 for repairs of an existing house to economically-backward OBC and SC families.

Government has extended the scheme 'Atal Asra Yojana' (financial assistance for construction of new houses and repairs), in addition to the benefits provided to all BPL families by housing schemes such as Indira Awas Yojana, Rajiv Awas Yojana by Rural Development Agency and Director of Social Welfare.

"Cost of construction/reconstruction/repairs of housing has gone very high in Goa. There are many OBC/SC economically weaker families who do not have pucca house and many others do not even have their own house. While Indira Awas Yojana is for BPL families, the Rajiv Awas Yojana is for poor families with annual income upto Rs 1.5 lakh. The amount sanctioned under these schemes is inadequate for the purpose and supplementary finance from banks comes at very high rates," states the Atal Asra Yojana.

Therefore, financial assistance over and above the assistance already provided under the existing schemes will be provided by Atal Asra Yojana. Assistance under the scheme will be processed on a case-to-case basis.

In case of deserving families, the monitoring committee for the scheme will have the powers to increase the limit of assistance to Rs 2.50 lakh and Rs 1 lakh for reconstruction of house and repairs of house, respectively. No second time sanction will be given for the same house, unless there is exists a deserving exception.

Only plans for reconstruction and repairs prepared by registered architects or engineers will be considered for benefit of the scheme.