Construction of houses for the Irula community in Ponnur village near Vandavasi is nearing completion. The work which was started in August last year, is expected to be completed by next fortnight, said sources from Tiruvannamalai district office.
The residents, mainly those from the Irula community, residing in dilapidated houses in Ponnur village of Vandavasi taluk, were the beneficiaries of schemes such as the Chief Minister Housing Scheme and the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.
Three houses under the Chief Minister Housing Scheme, four under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and 10 houses under the Scheduled Tribe Welfare Fund were sanctioned initially After inspecting the houses constructed in 1987, Tiruvannamalai District Collector K.S. Kandasamy announced the building of 49 houses for the community.
Sources with the rural development department said that before the inspection by the Collector, Ponnur Jagannathapuram had houses that were badly damaged and some residents had to resort to building thatched hutments by themselves. Since the area was close to a tank bund, their houses were also destroyed by the floods frequently.
The entire residential colony had a population of 133 — including 33 school students. These residents will be provided individual houses worth ₹2.10 lakh and toilets constructed at a cost of ₹12,000.
Over and above these expenses, the approach road to the residential colony is being made ready at a cost of ₹10 lakh. Another ₹10 lakh will be spent on relaying streets with concrete.
Mr. Kandasamy said that all basic amenities would be provided to the people and only thing they have to do is to send their children to school. He urged a person from the community to take up the job of a cook who will be paid a monthly salary of ₹3,500. As an initiative to encourage parents to send their wards to school, parents will get a subsidy of ₹400 per month, he said. This subsidy would be credited to the bank account like any other government subsidy, he added.
Though there were some hinderances in construction of these houses due to rain, it will not affect the completion of project in time, said an official attached to the rural development department.
