The Government has decided to allot at
least Rs.1,000 crore annually for the Valmiki Ambedkar Awas Yojana (VAAY),
during the 10th Five Year Plan Period. This was stated by the Union Minister of
State for Urban Development, Mr Bandaru Dattatreya.
The minister also stated that a meeting of housing
ministers of all states would be convened in January 2002 to work out the
modalities of the scheme. All states have also been asked to submit project
reports along with their requisition for houses.
The scheme envisages constructing 4,00,000 houses
every year for slum dwellers. Under the scheme, 50 per cent of the construction
cost would be borne by the Centre in the form of a grant, while the remaining
cost would be extended as loan to the beneficiaries, by Housing & Urban
Development Corporation.