Scheme fulfills long-cherished dream of owning a house for many

The mega house distribution ceremony in Hubballi on Saturday to symbolically distribute 42,345 houses built by the Karnataka Slum Development Board (KSDB) across various districts in the State received an overwhelming response, with thousands of people from various districts thronging the venue.

In anticipation of participation of over two lakh people in the event, the authorities had made elaborate arrangements including distribution of food, water bottles and butter milk sachets.

The houses which cost ₹7.5 lakh each were built under Chief Minister’s special grants by the Karnataka Slum Development Board (KSDB) under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY). While 1,008 houses have been built in Hubballi (Mantur Road) alone, 2,169 houses have been built under the scheme in Dharwad district. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge symbolically distributed the houses to 10 beneficiaries at the event.

For many beneficiaries, the government’s housing allotment marked the end of years of uncertainty and financial strain. Several families said most of their earnings had earlier been spent on rent, leaving little for their children’s education or overall family development. With a permanent home of their own, they now look forward to a more secure life. Expressing gratitude, the beneficiaries said the scheme had fulfilled their long-cherished dream of owning a house.

One of the beneficiaries Shantabai Shanmukappa said that freedom from rented accommodation had given her family peace of mind and renewed confidence about the future. “Now our income can be used for our children’s better education,” she said.

Comparing the relief of receiving a house to finding shade after exhaustion in the sun, Kamalavva Bharamappa Chalavadi said that the initiative had brought immense happiness to families who had waited for years to have a home of their own.

ModinasabJandirasab Kagadagar, a physically disabled beneficiary, said owning a house had once seemed like a distant dream. “Now we finally have a place to rest peacefully,” he said.

Sudha Sitaram Sarvade said her family’s income was earlier consumed by rent, making home ownership impossible. “This is not just a house, but a promise for our family’s future,” she said.

Arrangements

The district authorities and the police had made elaborate arrangements to ensure the smooth conduct of the event, during which hundreds of buses and other vehicles were hired to bring the people to the venue.

To manage the massive gathering, 124 counters were set up for breakfast and meals. Arrangements were made to provide breakfast and meals to the massive gathering in a disciplined manner. Around 300 people were engaged in food preparation, 200 staff handled meal distribution to ensure smooth operation and 150 workers were deployed for cleaning activities. Nearly 20 water tankers were stationed at the venue to wash their hands after meals. According to a rough estimate, over 1.50 lakh people were served meals during the programme.