Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy directed the Housing Department to take steps to expedite construction of houses and constantly monitor the status of basic infrastructure in Jagananna colonies.

At a review meeting on Housing held at the Camp Office in Tadepalli on Thursday, the Chief Minister said that the official machinery should act in such a way that identified problems are solved immediately.

The officials informed the Chief Minister that 7.43 lakh houses in Jagananna colonies were handed over to beneficiaries in October and works relating to 5 lakh houses are in full swing and would be completed by February.

Basic facilities like water and power supply have been provided in all colonies where houses were handed over to beneficiaries while steps are on to provide magic soak-pits, they said.

Audits should be conducted on the houses for which construction has been completed in all respects to know the status of basic infrastructure like power supply, drinking water and soak-pits, the Chief Minister told them.

He asked them to focus on the management of TIDCO housing complexes and ensure that the beneficiaries’ associations are running efficiently by creating awareness among them.

This is necessary to see that the handed-over properties do not lose their quality and the surrounding ambience is hygienic, he said.

He was told that a loan of Rs 35,000 each was provided to 12,72,143 beneficiaries amounting to a total of Rs 4,483 crore on 25 paisa interest for construction of the houses. The Chief Minister asked them to be ready to pay the balance of interest on the loans provided so far.