The Orissa State Housing Board Building in Bhubaneswar. Picture by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, Aug.19: The Orissa State Housing Board (OSHB) has decided to float housing schemes for middle and lower income groups in the city.

The decision was a consequence of the Assembly enhancing the financial powers of OSHB during last year’s budget session.

“The old provisions had made it mandatory for the Board to seek permission from the government for any work above Rs 10 lakh. It used to create a huge problem for us, as we were not able to float even a tender for construction. As per the amended provision, the Board can execute any project up to Rs 5 crore on its own and sanction would be needed for projects beyond Rs 5 crore,” said Board secretary Basudev Bahinipati.

In Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, the Board, which has already constructed 20,000 residential units, has nearly 100 acres of land. At the moment, the Bhubanewar Development Authority (BDA) is enga ged in construction of houses in a major way.

As a Dussehra gift to people, OSHB secretary said that they would announce construction of two projects.

“The first project will construct a six-storied building at Ranasinghpur, which is 14km away from the city. It will have 60 two-bed room flats. For lower income groups, there will be 150 one-bed room flats. The complex will come up in an area of 2.3 acres of land,” he said.

The second project will come up near Dharma Vihar and Jagamara area in the city itself. The project will have 105 flats with three bedrooms and 39 flats with four bedrooms. It will be a 12-storeyed building.

“People can apply for the flats during the Dussehra festival in October next,” said Bahinipati.

“There is a dearth of residential houses in Bhubaneswar. Therefore, OSHB has decided to come with projects in affordable prices,” he said.

As per the comprehensive development plan prepared by the IIT, Kharagpur in 2008, there would be need of another 4.37 lakh residential quarters by 2030.

“We are aware of all these fact and accordingly prepare our plan,” he added.

In 2011, the Board will float two schemes in city. One housing scheme will come up at Patrapada, about seven km fr om the city, in an area of 6.59 acre, another at scheme at Suango.

One-bed room flat will cost around Rs15 lakh, two-bed room flat will be priced at Rs 27 lakh, Rs 35 lakh for a three-bed room and a four-bed room flats will cost around Rs 45 lakh.

Bahinipati said only two years ago the organisation became debt-free and claimed that the OSHB has already constructed over 20,000 residential quarters in the city,

“We have already paid Rs 129 crore to HUDCO (Housing and Urban Development Corporation). Now, we are capable of developing projects on our own,” he said.

He said that the Board was also planning to come up with housing schemes in Rourkela, Jharsuguda and Paradip Social housing schemes would be launched in all the district headquarters, he added.