Andhra Pradesh third best performing state under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban

Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh) [India], January 1 (ANI): Andhra Pradeshm has bagged third place in the 'Best Performing State' category in the annual awards for its implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U) Mission.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy participated in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's video conference to lay the foundation stone for six light house projects under the Global Housing Technology Challenge - India and distribution of PMAY- urban and ASHA - India awards virtually here.
Andhra Pradesh has secured third in the 'Best Performing State' category in the annual awards. The state has received awards in 'project monitoring tools' and 'innovative construction technology' under the 'special award' category and Visakhapatnam also has received an award under the 'best performing municipal corporation' category. The Chief Minister received the awards from the Prime Minister virtually.
"Andhra Pradesh has taken a special drive to provide house sites to 30.75 lakh poor people throughout the state and 68,677 acres of land, including 25,433 acres of government land, has been plotted and distributed to the eligible poor families under PMAY (Urban)," Reddy said.
"16,098 EWS Housing Colonies are being developed urban areas and it is the endeavour of the Government to provide required infrastructure in terms of Roads, Drains, Water and Electricity along with necessary social infrastructure for the Housing colonies. It is estimated that an amount of Rs 12,410 crores is required for providing the necessary infrastructure in the colonies", he added.
Hailing Prime Minister Modi's "Housing for All by 2022", the Chief Minister said that the programme is of particular relevance to Andhra Pradesh, which is vulnerable to natural disasters like cyclones, heavy rains and floods due to its 974 km long coastline.
Over 20.21 lakh houses were sanctioned so far to the state under the scheme.
"The houses and house sites are being registered in the names of the women beneficiaries only. We are sure that this would go a long way in promoting women empowerment and in ensuring financial security for women," he said.
"Construction of such a large number of houses within a stipulated time frame is difficult without the adoption of new construction methodologies, innovative thinking and planning. The state government has procured the entire land required, so as to avoid any hiccups in the grand endeavour," he added.
The Andhra Pradesh government has travelled a great distance towards achieving this goal of "Housing for all" by 2022 by distributing housing plots to all 100 per cent eligible poor families and sanctioning houses to 67 per cent of all eligible poor families, he said. "Additional sanction of 8.95 lakh houses by Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and the sanction of soft loans of Rs 12,410 crores by HUDCO or other financial institutions will help the government to complete its journey towards achieving the goal of "Housing for all"." (ANI)