The Kerala government on Wednesday announced to avail a loan of Rs 4,000 crore for implementing its ambitious housing scheme - LIFE Mission. The housing scheme aimed to provide shelter to over five lakh homeless and landless in the state.
The the Left Democratic Front government, when it came to power two years ago, announced the Livelihood Inclusion and Financial Empowerment (LIFE) Mission. The programme envisages a comprehensive housing scheme for the landless and homeless in Kerala.
A cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in Thiruvananthapuram, gave sanction to avail the loan from the Housing and Urban Development Corporation Ltd (HUDCO), an official release said.
The Rs 4,000 crore loan would be taken through the Kerala Urban Development Finance Corporation Ltd, according to the statement.
Only recently, Vijayan had informed the state assembly that a statewide survey, conducted as a part of the Mission, had identified 5.13 lakh persons as homeless in the state and finalised the list of beneficiaries.
The mission aims to provide safe housing to over five lakh homeless in the state within five years. They would be provided with modern housing complexes with provision for pursuing their livelihood, skill development and provision for financial services inclusion, among others,official sources said.
Marginalised sections like coastal population, plantation workers and those who stay in temporary shelters in government lands would be given priority, they added.