The second phase of the scheme involves construction of one lakh houses at a cost of 3,500 crore. Chennai: With assembly election just months away, DMK govt is racing to complete houses under its flagship Kalaignar Kanavu Illam (KKI) scheme.
As of now, 25,657 families have moved into houses constructed in the second phase, while the remaining 74,343 units are nearing completion. It was launched with the objective of achieving a ‘hut-free Tamil Nadu’ by 2030, following a survey that identified nearly 8 lakh huts across the state. If the Feb deadline is met, the govt would have delivered permanent housing to one lakh families months ahead of schedule, taking the total beneficiaries to two lakh since the scheme launch in March 2024 – a milestone likely to be foregrounded as the state heads into poll mode. Get an chance to win ₹5000 Amazon Voucher by taking part in India’s Biggest Habit Index!
“By first week of Feb next year, all beneficiaries under the second phase will move into their new houses,” a senior official in the panchayat raj and rural development department said. “The assistance of 3.5 lakh for each unit is credited in four instalments,” the official said. Chief secretary N Muruganandam and principal secretary Gagandeep Singh Bedi are holding weekly reviews to monitor progress, an unusually close level of monitoring for a rural housing programme. Unlike contractor-driven housing schemes, beneficiaries under the KKI Thittam oversee construction themselves, engaging workers directly and receiving funds in their bank accounts. Demand for the scheme has been higher in northern districts such as Tiruvannamalai, Cuddalore, and Villupuram, and in delta districts. Take the survey here