Homes for 2.8 lakh poor in 3 years

The government has undertaken a plan to rehabilitate around 2.8 lakh poor by providing them with homes under various housing programmes in next three years, reports BSS.

 It was told in a meeting held at Prime Minister's Office (PMO) in the capital yesterday for reviewing the implementation process, progress and future action plan of the housing programmes initiated for the poor.

The projects -- "Ashrayan-2 Project", "Ekti Bari Ekti Khamar Project", "Guchha Gram Project", "Bari Fera Karmasuchi" and "Grihayan Tahabil Project" are being implemented under the supervision of the PMO.

UNB reports, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said her government would try its best to rehabilitate the country's homeless people during its remaining period.

"Some two years and eight months are still left for our current tenure to complete, and we'll have to provide these poor people with homes during the period," she said while presiding over the review meeting.

About micro-credit's impacts, Hasina said poor people could not come out from the vicious cycle of poverty as the micro credit with the high interest rates nurtures poverty.

"We want to enable people to make savings; we don't want to nurture poverty."

The prime minister directed the officials concerned of the projects to work in a coordinated manner and further expedite implementation of various projects under the Prime Minister's Office to ensure houses for every homeless of the country.

She directed the authorities concerned to maintain the records of those who are being provided of shelter or houses so that no one could take undue benefits from the government programmes.

Pointing to some cases of selling materials of the houses built under Ashrayan project in the past and taking possession of such houses by the influential persons, Hasina asked the officials concerned so that such malpractice cannot take place again.

She stressed the need for protecting houses through constructing barracks and forming cooperatives to ensure the living of people there.

About the rehabilitation of slum dwellers in the capital, Hasina said rented flats could be built for those people on its outskirts like Kamrangirchar.