Envrionmental clearance from the Central Government to a project in a State does not mean that the project would take off, Union Minister for Urban Development M. Venkaiah Naidu said here on Friday.
"Central Government gives environmental clearances to many projects but it is for the State Governments to go ahead with the projects taking into consideration the local factors", Mr. Venkaiah Naidu said when the bauxite mining issue was raised during a press conference. He did not give time for other questions.
Earlier, he said that as a Telugu person he was taking up with his Cabinet colleagues the issues concerning the State to provide whatever help it could get and utilising every chance and possibility.
Andhra Pradesh, since its formation has received several projects from the Centre, Mr. Naidu said and asserted that most of the provisions in the AP Reorganisation Act have been implemented and special category status or special assistance would be decided by the Niti Ayog. He blamed the previous Congress-led Government for not making provision for referring the special category status to the then Planning Commission.
Andhra Pradesh was the first State to send proposals for housing units under a Central Government scheme in tune with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's wish of housing for all by 2022, and was allotted as many as 1.93 lakh units in 59 municipalities and corporations.
The AP Government ahs singed an MoU with Centre on this project. The GVMC would get 9,118 under 26 projects and 20,030 under 27 projects; Srikakulam, Palasa and Amudalavalasa in Srikakulam 2,176 and Saluru, Bobbili, Parvathipuram and Nellimarla in Vizianagaram district 4,172.
The help coming from the Centre is Rs.1 lakh for a house if it is being built on a government land and Rs.1.50 lakh in case of the land owned by the beneficiary. The unit should be in the name of woman member of the family or wife and jointly and State Government is at liberty to reduce or increase the carpet area of the house from 30 square meters, or take up multi-storeyed buildings on its own land.
State government can take up the housing project under its housing board or by forming a special body for the purpose. Centre would deposit its amount directly into the beneficiary's bank account. This is in addition to the help the State Government might provide.
State Deputy Chief Minister N. Chinna Rajappa and Anakapalle MP M. Srinivasa Rao who were present at the press conference, thanked Mr. Venkaiah Naidu for allotting 1.93 lakh housing units to AP and sought his help in securing funds for relief and rehabilitation to the victims of floods and rains in Rayalaseema and coastal districts.
