Kalaignar’s Kanavu Illam scheme gathers pace in Mayiladuthurai district

Kalaignar’s Kanavu Illam scheme in Mayiladuthurai district advances, transforming huts into concrete homes with essential amenities.

Under the Kalaignar’s Kanavu Illam housing scheme, all houses sanctioned across various blocks in Mayiladuthurai district for 2024–25 have been completed, while construction works are progressing to meet the targets set for 2025–26, officials said.

Official sources said the district had more than 49,000 huts, and the Tamil Nadu government was steadily replacing them with permanent concrete houses equipped with basic amenities such as drinking water, sanitation and electricity.

According to K. Govindarajan, Associate Project Director (Housing), Mayiladuthurai, a total of 2,498 houses were completed in the district during the previous year. “For the current year, 2,694 houses have been sanctioned. Of these, construction has been completed for 954 houses so far, and the remaining houses are planned to be completed by February 28,” he said.

Given the growing demand for housing, the government also sanctioned an additional 3,500 houses for Mayiladuthurai district during the current year. Construction activity for the units was expected to begin shortly, officials said.

Block-wise data show that all houses sanctioned for 2024–25 have been completed in Mayiladuthurai, Kuthalam, Sembanar Koil, Sirkazhi and Kollidam blocks. For 2025–26, targets have been fixed for 640 houses in Mayiladuthurai block, 449 in Kuthalam, 645 in Sembanar Koil, 485 in Sirkazhi and 475 in Kollidam, with construction works under way across the blocks.

Beneficiaries say the scheme has transformed their living conditions. G. Ramugam of V.O.C. Street in Thandavankulam panchayat said his family had lived in a hut in the village for generations. “It is only because of this scheme that we have finally been able to move into a concrete house. The instalments were released on time, unlike in earlier schemes, which helped us complete the construction without financial strain. Materials such as cement and steel were also provided as per our requirements,” he said.