Chennai, Dec 18 (NationPress) Tamil Nadu's Chief Minister M. K. Stalin has declared an extra allocation of Rs 400 crore for the Kalaignar Kanavu Illam Thittam (KKIT – Kalaignar's Dream Housing Scheme) aimed at hastening the building of homes.

In a statement released on Wednesday, Stalin mentioned that a comprehensive budget of Rs 3,500 crore has been sanctioned for this initiative, with Rs 3.5 lakh allocated for each dwelling.

The state's objective is to construct one lakh new concrete houses during the fiscal year 2024–25, aspiring towards a “hut-free Tamil Nadu” by the year 2030.

Each residence, spanning 360 square feet and inclusive of a kitchen, will be built with financial aid from the government.

To alleviate the financial strain on beneficiaries, cement and steel bars are being supplied at subsidized rates through TANCEM (Tamil Nadu Cements Corporation Limited).

Funds are disbursed directly to beneficiaries via a Single Nodal Account (SNA) in four phases, corresponding to various stages of construction such as ground level, window level, roofing level, and completion.

To date, the government has allocated Rs 1,051.34 crore, with Rs 860.31 crore disbursed according to construction milestones.

In addition, Rs 135.30 crore has been utilized for the procurement of cement and steel, bringing the cumulative expenditure to Rs 995.61 crore.

It's noteworthy that housing projects worth Rs 1,400 crore are currently underway under both the Kalaignar Kanavu Illam Scheme and the Tamil Nadu Rural Houses Renovation Scheme.

During the first phase of the Kalaignar Kanavu Illam Scheme, Rs 300 crore was allocated, of which Rs 252 crore has already been distributed to beneficiaries based on construction stages.

Furthermore, an additional Rs 500 crore has been approved, raising the total allocation for the scheme to Rs 800 crore.

All houses are anticipated to be completed and made available for public use within this financial year, given the current pace of construction.

Under the Tamil Nadu Rural Houses Renovation Scheme, the government has earmarked Rs 450 crore to repair and renovate one lakh houses built before 2000–01 under various housing initiatives.

So far, 15,350 renovation projects have been finalized at a cost of Rs 150 crore.

With the recent allocation of an additional Rs 450 crore, administrative approvals will soon be granted to ensure all repair and renovation efforts are concluded within this financial year.