ACCORDING to various reports as published recently in the national media, the dwindling size of farms, rise in landlessness and depletion of farmland are posing formidable threats to agriculture besides increasing poverty in the country. The average farm size has come down to less than 0.6 hectares and the percentage of landless people stands at 58.

Mumbai A day after the state government-appointed committee for the Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP) wrote a strong letter against the manner of implementation of the project, it has challenged the very concept of free housing for slumdwellers.

July 7: Though the state government had plans to allot over 42,000 flats to the poor before the GHMC polls, the corporation has been able to complete only 17,000 flats. However, of the total 17,000 flats completed, almost 12,000 were allotted before the Assembly elections to beneficiaries mostly from Ranga Reddy district.

GOVT

Minister for Housing and Muzrai V Somanna on Wednesday visited the slum areas in Nayandhalli and laid the foundation stone for a Rs 18 crore project to reconstruct pukka houses in these areas.

Under the Housing Board Department, the project will provide 900 ground-plus-two houses in the slum for the residents.

CHANDIGARH: Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said on Tuesday that the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) would construct 37,513 houses in phases for people belonging to weaker sections of society.

Rs 1.5 lakh Central assistance to be given to each family.

Conditional aid

Assistance is, however, conditional upon the State governments concerned assigning property rights to slum-dwellers.

Harish Damodaran, New Delhi, June 23

MARGAO, JUNE 20

The Cuncolim Citizens Action Committee has urged the Chief Town Planner not to issue any clearances for the mega housing project proposed at Panzorconne-Cuncolim adjacent the 1.26 lakh sq mts of government acquired land.