Telangana Becomes Predominantly Urban, Seeks Central Support for Housing Scheme
Telangana is now largely an urban state, with nearly 80 percent of its areas falling under urban regions. The state government has shared details of its expanding Urban Development Authorities (UDAs) with the central government to secure more funds for its housing program. This program is part of the six guarantees promised by the Congress government.
The state recently increased the number of UDAs from nine to 28. Officials explained that these UDAs cover almost all districts in Telangana, except for Mulugu. The expansion aims to create a comprehensive development plan for suburban areas, ensuring access to basic services like drinking water, job opportunities, and the development of satellite townships.
Telangana is seeking additional support from the central government under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY). With more areas now categorized as urban, the state hopes to receive a larger share of funding for its Indiramma Housing Scheme. This flagship program aims to provide affordable housing to the poor, aligning with one of the state government’s key promises.
The state plans to build over four lakh (400,000) houses for economically weaker sections, which would require an investment of approximately ₹20,000 crore. Under PMAY, the central government contributes ₹1.5 lakh per housing unit in urban areas and ₹75,000 per unit in rural areas. Telangana plans to allocate ₹5 lakh per unit for the housing scheme, with the state covering the remaining ₹3.5 lakh after the central contribution.
Currently, the state is in the process of identifying eligible beneficiaries for the housing scheme. This process is expected to be completed by Sankranti. Once the data is collected, it will be uploaded on central government portals. Beneficiaries will be selected after a thorough review, and rankings will be assigned to determine eligibility. Through this initiative, the state aims to provide homes to over four lakh poor families in Telangana.
