Government flouted guidelines in 2BHK unit allotment

Govt flouts own norms in 2BHK allotment; protests by residents. Fear of more protests leads to tags for identified beneficiaries. No evidence of ward sabhas conducted for identification. Revised guidelines not adhered to; 10% or 1000 units per constituency not allotted. Locals disappointed as promises made during ULB elections not fulfilled. 13,300 units up for distribution in Phase-II.

The government may have been flouting its own norms given through successive government orders, in allotment of double bedroom housing units for beneficiaries within the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) limits.

Fear persists among public representatives and government officials even as the second phase of 2BHK unit allotment is set to be held on September 21. Protests were conducted everywhere by residents who have not been allotted units during the first phase.

Wary of more protests, authorities are reportedly issuing tags to the identified beneficiaries to control the entry at the venues of inaugural events at 2BHK colony sites. “People are clueless about the procedure followed for allotment. They do not even know where and whom to approach to find out about the status of their applications,” says M. Srinivas, CPI(M) City Secretary.

While government vouches for “utmost transparency” in allotment, it certainly has not adhered to its own guidelines pertaining to identification of beneficiaries. As per the revised guidelines issued in November 2015, gram sabhas or ward sabhas should be conducted for preliminary assessment of applications as per the eligibility criteria, after which the list should be forwarded to the Tehsildar for further scrutiny.

However, there is no evidence of ward sabhas conducted anywhere in the city for identification of the beneficiaries. Initial survey was conducted by GHMC field level staff to verify the constituencies against the addresses given, after which the list of beneficiaries was forwarded to the respective collectorates. Revenue department conducted socio-economic survey later to weed out the ineligible applicants.

The original orders for double bedroom housing programme issued in October, 2015 stipulate that wherever works are taken up outside GHMC, 10 per cent or 1000 units per constituency, whichever is less, should be allotted to local beneficiaries. The stipulation does not seem to have been adhered to during allotments. “During elections to the urban local bodies outside GHMC, the contestants from the ruling party made promises to the people that they will be allotted the units from the complexes being constructed within the respective ULBs. This has led to more disappointment among the locals,” Mr. Srinvias says.

A total 13,300 units are up for distribution during Phase-II, at Dundigal, Bahadurpally, D.Pochampally, Mankhal, Mansanpally, Hattiguda, Thattiannaram, Thimmaiguda, Kollur, Kardanur, Ameenpur, Jawaharnagar, Ahmedguda, Sriramnagar, Cherlapally, and Pratap Singaram.