Steps afoot to make Berhampur city slum free by 2017

Berhampur MunicipalCorporation (BMC) has mooted plans to use Rajiv Awas Yojana (RAY) to make the city slum free by end of 2017. There are 256 recognised and unrecognised slum pockets in Berhampur, the biggest commercial town in southern Odisha. Around 1.50 lakh, comprising about one third population of the city are the slum dwellers. While several of them have their own houses without having basic facilities in their areas, several others leave the pockets encroaching on government land.

The target to make Berhampur slum free was discussed at a workshop organised by the City Level Technical Cell (CLTC) of the BMC on Friday. It was attended by all corporators of the city, the Commissioner of the BMC Akhaya Kumar Mohanty, city Mayor Siba Shankar Dash and dignitaries of the city.

Barracks, Berhampur

“In a bid to make this south Odisha city “slum free”, BMC is set to implement the centrally-sponsored Rajiv Awas Yojana (RAY) through public private partnership (PPP) to provide houses and infrastructure facilities in slum pockets. Around 400 housing units are proposed to be constructed in two selected slum pockets at Chandi Sahi and Jhilimili Nagar on a pilot basis”, says BMC commissioner A K Mohanty. “The detail project report (DPR) for the pilot project, which is being prepared by a private agency is likely to be completed next month”, he said.

As per a survey there were 256 slums in BMC area. They have around 12,000 households. According to Sangram Panda, the Slum Improvement Officer cum nodal officer of RAY, around 25 per cent of the city population live in slums. Largest slum in the city was located on the banks of Dhobandha tank. The slums with worst living condition were Pichpicha Nagar and Neliabandha Sahi.

Major tasks

Ramlingam Tank Road, Berhampur

The aim of implementation of RAY was discussed in detail for the corporators as they happen to be key catalysts for its implementation. It was stated that a detailed socio-economic survey was conducted at the slums of the city for their rehabilitation. “This survey was conducted by an outside agency to avoid chances of nepotism and partialism,” said Mr. Panda. Project report for implementation of RAY would be prepared in a phased manner as per this survey report.

The Commissioner of the BMC stated that one of the major tasks of implementation of RAY was identification of genuine beneficiaries who live in slums. According to him in most slums middlemen owned the houses which were handed over on rent to the poor.

For houses constructed under RAY, Central government would provide 50 per cent of the cost, the State government would bear 30 per cent of the cost while the rest 20 per cent was to be borne by the beneficiaries. So, through the NGOs the BMC authorities have started to motivate slum dwellers to start making savings so that when they are chosen to get houses under RAY they could provide their share, said Mr. Panda. The corporators were also urged to help in this motivation work.

Source: The Hindu, Business Standard

Source: The Sambad