Andhra govt to handover 1 lakh houses by Ugadi

The Andhra Pradesh government plans to hand over one lakh completed houses in TIDCO (Andhra Pradesh Township and Infrastructure Development Corporation) housing complexes across the state to beneficiaries by the upcoming Ugadi festival. These houses form part of ongoing efforts to provide affordable urban housing under schemes like Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban). Among the one lakh completed units, 54,934 houses measure 300 square feet, 16,223 are 365 square feet, and 28,986 are 430 square feet. 

Officials have decided to organize housewarming ceremonies (Griha Pravesh) for beneficiaries, to be conducted by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu during the Ugadi celebrations, marking a significant milestone in the state's housing initiatives. The current coalition government has accelerated the pace of TIDCO house construction after taking office. The previous YSRCP administration was accused of delaying completions, diverting funds meant for housing to other purposes, and failing to pay contractors on time, resulting in stalled projects and pending bills amounting to nearly Rs 500 crore. 

This included issues from the 2014-2019 TDP regime where some works were initiated but disrupted later. Beneficiaries faced severe hardships, with many bank accounts becoming inactive due to unutilized loans taken for their share of construction. In contrast, the present government has addressed these challenges by resuming and speeding up works, clearing pending payments to contractors to avoid delays, and ensuring timely infrastructure development. 

Efforts are underway to complete the remaining units in the broader target of 2.61 lakh TIDCO houses by June 2026. To support this, the state cabinet recently approved a government guarantee for APTIDCO to secure a Rs 4,451 crore term loan from HUDCO (Housing and Urban Development Corporation). This funding, combined with an additional beneficiary contribution of up to Rs 1,500 crore, will enable full completion of construction and infrastructure. 

Earlier attempts during the YSRCP tenure to obtain HUDCO loans reportedly yielded no results despite prolonged efforts. Minister P. Narayana revealed details about the 2.16 lakh houses sanctioned under the previous YSRCP government. He stated that around 77,000 houses were nearly completed during the 2014-2019 TDP period. Another 64,000 reached 50-75% completion, 49,000 were at 25-50%, and 1.20 lakh were below 25% progress. 

The minister alleged that the YSRCP government neglected these projects over the past five years, missing opportunities for timely completion despite favorable conditions. The government aims to resolve long-standing beneficiary issues, including loan-related burdens, and deliver permanent housing solutions. This push aligns with the broader "Housing for All" mission, with ambitious targets set for further expansions in the coming years.