OVER ONE LAKH HOUSES FOR URBAN SLUM DWELLERS TO BE BUILT THIS YEAR

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Government has fixed a target of constructing 106000 dwelling units under Valmiki Ambedkar Awas Yojana (VAMBAY) during the year 2003-04. An amount of Rs.265.00 crore has been tentatively allocated for the purpose. Subsidy of Rs.135.53 crore has already been released during the current year under VAMBAY, for construction of 61535 dwelling units. Valmiki Ambedkar Awas Yojana, a centrally sponsored scheme, was launched on 2.12.2001 by the Prime Minister to provide shelter or upgrade the existing shelter for urban slum dwellers. Objective of the scheme is to achieve the goal of developing slumless cities with a healthy and enabling urban environment.

Swarna Jayanti Shahari Rozgar Yojana (SJSRY) is another Centrally Sponsored Scheme which aims to provide gainful employment to the urban unemployed or under employed poor through ecouraging the setting up of self-employment ventures or provision of wage employment. During the current financial year (2003-04), Government of India Subsidy of Rs.15.86 crore has been released so far under SJSRY out of the tentative Central allocation of Rs.100.74 crore.