Hyderabad: The Telangana government has initiated steps to implement the first phase of the Indiramma Housing Scheme in the CORE Urban Region (CURE) covering Hyderabad, Rangareddy, Sangareddy and Medchal-Malkajgiri districts, with Revenue and Housing Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy directing officials to prepare a comprehensive action plan for transparent construction and allocation of houses.
Ponguleti Reddy chaired a review meeting at the state Secretariat in Hyderabad on Monday, March 16, attended by Ministers Sridhara Babu, Mohammad Azharuddin and Ponnam Prabhakar, to discuss the progress of Indiramma houses and the status of double-bedroom housing units in the region.
Ponguleti Reddy said beneficiary selection must be completely transparent and strictly limited to eligible families. He instructed officials not to yield to political pressure while identifying beneficiaries, and asked them to identify suitable land parcels in urban areas without disturbing the livelihoods of poor residents.
Crackdown on misuse of double-bedroom houses
The government has taken serious note of reports that some beneficiaries who received double-bedroom houses are either renting them out or leaving them locked for extended periods. Officials have been directed to issue notices to such beneficiaries, giving them time until April 30 to respond. Allotments will be cancelled and houses reassigned to deserving families if they fail to comply.
Ponguleti Reddy also directed officials to verify houses allotted under schemes such as 2BHK and Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), and conduct inspections from May 1 onwards to identify cases where beneficiaries are not occupying the allotted units. Beneficiaries responding to notices must submit an undertaking on bond paper confirming they will reside in the houses, failing which the government will have the authority to cancel their allotment.
The minister directed officials to ensure basic infrastructure such as electricity, drinking water and drainage facilities across housing colonies in the four districts, with support from the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC). He instructed that electricity meters for 22,000 houses be installed on a war footing. Officials were also asked to complete the construction of unfinished double-bedroom towers and allot completed units to beneficiaries without delay. On commercial complexes built within housing colonies, the minister directed that they be sold through an auction process rather than rented out, with the revenue deposited in a joint account held in the name of the society and the government.
