The ambitious Central project of empowering the economically weaker section (EWS) and lower income group (LIG) by giving them a government-sponsored shelter under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), has taken off in Meghalaya. The two-phase housing projects estimated at Rs. 30.44 crore have been handed over to Hindustan Prefab Limited (HPL) for constructing and is expected to be completed within 18 months.

The project took off eight months after the Union Minister of State for Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation Kumari Selja laid its foundation stone in Shillong in December. Meghalaya Urban Affairs Minister Paul Lyngdoh told reporters on Wednesday that the Ministry of Housing Urban Poverty Alleviation (HUPA) had sanctioned Rs. 30.44 crore for the project. He said that the Centre would give 90 per cent of the estimated cost of construction while the state would bear 10 per cent that includes contribution from beneficiaries. The Shillong Municipal Board and the Meghalaya Urban Development Authority will identify the beneficiaries.

Another five slum development programmes are in the pipeline and a detailed project report has already been submitted to the HUPA. HPL CMD Jaiveer Srivastava said that the housing complex would include open areas for recreation, community, livelihood and health centres.

The West Garo Hills district headquarter Tura will be covered under the Integrated Housing and Slum Development Programme to uplift the conditions of the urban slum dwellers.