Amaravati, Nov 12 (NationPress) Every homeless individual in Andhra Pradesh is set to receive their own houses by 2029, as announced by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday.

The state government has already distributed 300,000 houses to eligible beneficiaries throughout the state.

This initiative was officially launched in Devagudipalle village, located in the Rayachoti mandal of the Annamayya district. The Chief Minister personally handed over keys to select beneficiaries and conducted a virtual housewarming ceremony in various regions.

Naidu further indicated that an additional 590,000 houses would be allocated to the homeless by March 2026.

"By 2029, every underprivileged person should possess their own home. This is the vision of the alliance government, which is striving to achieve this goal," he stated, adding that the government aims to ensure one entrepreneur emerges from each household.

Naidu asserted that the TDP government had constructed 800,000 houses between 2014 and 2019 at a cost of ₹16,000 crore, and criticized the previous YSR Congress government for canceling 473,000 houses and withholding ₹900 crore intended for 273,000 houses. The coalition government has since released the outstanding funds and finalized the housing projects.

An official report states that 228,034 houses were built under the PM Awas Yojana-Urban, 65,292 houses under PM Awas Yojana-Gramin, and 6,866 houses under PM Awas Yojana-Janman scheme, totaling 300,192 houses completed. The NDA government's free sand policy also contributed significantly to the rapid construction of these homes.

Additionally, Naidu revealed that the state government is augmenting the funds allocated by the Centre for housing construction.

The Centre is providing ₹2.5 lakh for urban houses and ₹2 lakh for rural houses, while the state government is contributing ₹50,000 for BCs and SCs, ₹75,000 for STs, and ₹1 lakh for primitive tribes.

The Chief Minister also announced an additional ₹50,000 assistance for Muslims to support housing efforts.

He noted that nearly 600,000 individuals halted their housing projects due to financial constraints. The government plans to allocate ₹3,220 crore to assist them in completing their homes, which will benefit 375,000 BC families, 157,000 SC families, 46,000 ST individuals, and 22,000 tribal families.

Reflecting on the origins of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Naidu emphasized that the party was founded on the principles of food, clothing, and shelter, crediting TDP founder and former Chief Minister N.T. Rama Rao for being the first to build homes for the impoverished.

The Chief Minister assessed the electrical appliances designated for the houses, which include four bulbs, two tube lights, and two fans, valued at ₹5,700 for SCs, STs, and BCs, suggesting that similar provisions be extended to other beneficiary groups.

Naidu also reviewed samples of the 300,000 houses built across the state through a photo exhibition.

He called for the identification of poor individuals without homes by December and advocated for housing projects that promote joint family living.

The Chief Minister authorized the construction of houses for several beneficiaries who already possess land.