‘Land banks’ to be created for layouts

‘Land banks’ to be created for layouts
The Asian Age



Bangalore, Aug. 9: The state government will create “land banks” in Bangalore and other secondary cities like Mysore, in order to develop residential layouts in future. Housing minister Anjan Murthy said that the government had already given permission sanction for the purchase of over 700 acres of land near Devanahalli.

“Considering the growing demand for sites and houses, we have planned to purchase land in every city and keep it under the land bank scheme. Later, we will create residential layouts and distribute sites there,” Mr Murthy outlined. He said the government would be just to the farmers while acquiring land from farmers. In Devanahalli, he said, the state government owned Karnataka Housing Board would purchase land from farmers at a rate of Rs 20-25 lakhs per acre. Apart from this, Mr Murthy explained that the government was planning to give financial assistance to anganwadi workers to build houses. Under Asha Kirana, the government would give Rs 10,000 and the beneficiary has to spend an amount of Rs 10,000. “If they have space outside their residences, the government will provide an additional Rs 5,000 for the construction of toilets,” he said.

The minister urged the finance department to increase the ceiling on the assistance given to beneficiaries of the Ashraya scheme. Presently Ashraya houses are built at a cost of Rs 20,000. “The cost of raw materials has gone up. Beneficiaries cannot build a decent house with Rs 20,000. I have urged the finance department to increase the ceiling to Rs 40,000.”