Chandigarh (Punjab): In a relief to beneficiaries of the ‘Punjab Shehri Awaas Yojna’, state minister Navjot Singh Sidhu on Tuesday decided to relax rules and enable those who do not have proof of residence to submit copy of tax assessment, electricity/water/sewerage bill.
The relief granted will benefit 30000 people who were to be bereft of deriving the benefits entailed under the ‘Housing For All’ scheme in the absence of permanent residence proof, read a statement.
Sidhu said the relief has been given in order to provide maximum possible benefit to the urban poor as well as sorting out the problems being faced by the beneficiaries under the ‘Punjab Shehri Awaas Yojna’.
He also said that those beneficiaries who live in the ‘Kuchcha Houses’ and under the Lal Dora (Red Line) area and who don’t have any proof of permanent residence, can now produce and submit the copy of tax assessment and in case this is not available any document out of the electricity bill/sewerage bill/water bill after verification by the counsellor can be submitted for availing the benefits entailed under the scheme.
“The Joint Commissioners/E.O.s concerned have been empowered in this regard to provide the benefits to the beneficiaries. Earlier, it was mandatory to furnish proof of permanent residence,” the statement read.
For those who haven’t yet applied, the state government has decided to go in for conducting a new survey starting from February 15 so as to ensure that the benefit accrues to a maximum number of poor families.
Sidhu said that those otherwise eligible under the scheme but could not apply owing to the absence of permanent residence proof, can now apply after this relief.
He also divulged that directions have been given to the department to constitute help desks in every municipal corporation, municipal council and panchayat to make sure that assistance is provided to the beneficiaries while uploading their applications online.
[source_without_link]ANI[/source_without_link]