The formation of the housing board will lead to a spurt in government residential colonies

Ranchi, Aug. 18: Housing projects will receive a boost as the division of assets and liabilities between the Jharkhand and Bihar state housing boards is set to be formalised on Thursday.

Sources in the Jharkhand State Housing Board (JSHB) said that after the division, the board would become an independent body with powers to implement new schemes and make allotments on its own.

“The JSHB was set up in June 2001. But so far it has not been able to launch schemes on its own. We had no power to do allotments. We were merely collecting revenues in the state. But after the full-fledged board becomes functional we will be able to make decisions,” sources added.

The board would acquire more than 5,700 acres among the districts. It has requested the respective district commissioners to provide suitable land to develop housing colonies and marketing complexes.

The move would also help start projects tagged with the Bihar State Housing Board. “After the JSHB becomes independent, we will launch the second phase of land acquisition. We plan to have our presence in all the 22 districts. Apart from land acquisition, the board also plans to have different projects on the existing land,” sources said.

The board plans to develop the plots under the by-laws of the national building code to check the growth of slums.

Sources said the land was acquired only after the respective administrations’ approval. “There are land that come under the Santhal Parganas and Chhotanagpur Tenancy Acts. The land can be taken after the DCs’ clearance,” sources added. In the first phase, the JSHB intends to acquire 4,000 acres in Ranchi, 200 acres in Hazaribagh, 300 acres in Dhanbad, 110 acres in Dumka and 100 acres in Ramgarh.