Housing department under scanner amid graft charges Over 21 lakh still homeless in Karnataka
Bengaluru: Allegations of corruption within Karnataka's housing department have reignited public outrage after senior Congress MLA BR Patil recently accused officials of demanding bribes for house allotments. The charges have put the department in the spotlight, especially as delays and irregularities in implementing housing schemes for the underprivileged continue to draw criticism. Patil's remarks have sparked debate within his own party, raising questions about transparency and accountability in the housing sector.
The housing department is responsible for providing affordable shelter to the economically weaker sections through various schemes such as Basava Housing, Devraj Urs Housing, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Niwas, Vajpayee Urban Housing, and the centrally sponsored Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY).
These programs are aimed at helping both rural and urban homeless populations to secure decent living conditions. However, delays in house allotments and allegations of bribery have cast a shadow over their effectiveness.
The controversy has also intensified following the recent state Cabinet decision to increase the reservation for minorities in housing allotments from 10% to 15%. The government defended this move, stating that it was based on reports identifying the scale of homelessness, and followed Central guidelines. However, critics argue that such policy changes need more transparency and better execution on the ground.
According to government data, Karnataka has an estimated 21,21,236 homeless people, as per surveys conducted in 2018 (for rural areas) and 2016–17 (for urban areas). Of this, 18,19,049 are from rural regions and 3,02,187 are from urban areas. Despite this massive need, the housing department's progress remains slow.
Under various housing schemes, a total of 6,29,961 houses have been sanctioned in the state, of which 3,63,769 are currently under construction. In urban areas, 42,538 houses were sanctioned, and 37,303 are in progress. Under the 2024-25 PMAY-Gramin scheme, the central government allocated a target of 7,02,731 houses for Karnataka. However, only 1,80,571 beneficiaries—about 26%—have been identified so far, leaving a gap of 5,22,160.
From 2022-23 to 2024-25, the state and central governments together sanctioned 2,41,519 houses and issued construction orders. Notably, no new housing targets have been announced for 2023-24 and 2024-25 under state schemes. In 2022-23, the state had approved 58,172 houses under various schemes. Despite growing demand, the department has failed to accelerate the pace of approvals and beneficiary selection.Responding to criticism, Housing Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan said, 'We haven't allocated new houses in the last four years.
I brought this to the Chief Minister's attention and requested an announcement in the budget. While he agreed, the Finance Department did not give its nod. Currently, construction is underway for around 9 lakh homes. We plan to complete these before taking up new allocations.'
As over 21 lakh people continue to live without proper shelter in Karnataka, the housing department faces mounting pressure to fix its inefficiencies.
With corruption allegations now coming from within the ruling party, the government's response in the coming months could prove decisive in shaping the state's housing policy and public trust in
welfare governance.
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