Flat for ₹50,000: Arjun Singh Announces Housing Scheme for Eligible Jute Mill Workers

A housing scheme has been announced under which eligible jute mill workers could get flats by paying only ₹50,000. State Labour Minister Arjun Singh announced the plan at a press conference on Monday.

The scheme is initially proposed as a pilot in North 24 Parganas and Hooghly. Municipalities in Bhatpara, Titagarh and Kamarhati have reportedly been asked to identify land for the project.

According to the report, around 8,000 jute mill workers have already expressed interest. Applications will be scrutinised before an eligible list is prepared. Applicants must belong to the economically weaker section and their annual family income must not exceed ₹3 lakh.

Applicants will not qualify if they or any family member already own a permanent house anywhere in India. Those who have benefited from a central or state housing scheme during the past 20 years will also be excluded.

The estimated cost of each flat is around ₹5.50 lakh. The Centre is expected to contribute ₹1.50 lakh and the state ₹2.79 lakh, while the beneficiary contribution would be ₹50,000. Each flat is planned to have two rooms, a kitchen and a toilet, with a carpet area of roughly 320 to 485 square feet.

Widows, single women, senior citizens, persons with disabilities, transgender applicants and applicants from various reserved categories are expected to receive priority. Source: Sangbad Pratidin; additional context cross-checked with a current report on the same announcement.