Rs 1,000cr for houses in Thane-hit districts

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The state government on Saturday allocated a whopping Rs 1,000 crore to facilitate the construction of one lakh concrete houses for people affected by Cyclone Thane last year in Cuddalore and Villuppuram districts.

Chief minister J. Jayalalithaa’s gesture will provide succour to those who lost their dwellings when Thane ravaged the districts.

While 90,000 houses would be constructed in Cuddalore district, which was the worst-affected, the remaining 10,000 houses would be built in the Villupuram district.

Ms Jayalalithaa, who announced the allocation of Rs 1,000 crore for the houses, said the houses would be constructed on a 200 sqft area with each costing Rs 1 lakh.

After Thane hit Cuddalore and Villppuram in December last year, leaving a trail of havoc and destruction, the chief minister had announced that the government would construct one lakh concrete houses for those affected in these two districts.

Saturday’s announcement and the allocation of funds were done in line with the earlier assurance given by her, the release said and added that this would help redress the grievances of the cyclone victims.

It may be recalled that earlier this year, Ms. Jayalalithaa had announced a series of relief measures to farmers in Cuddalore district, including a sum of Rs 210 crore as compensation for damaged crops.

Further, as part of a package to the farmers, saplings of coconut, cashew and jackfruit were given for free. The state government had announced to bear the maintenance cost for a year.