Gandhinagar, Jan 23 (IANS) Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, on Friday, announced a significant relief measure for beneficiaries of rural housing schemes run by the Gujarat Rural Housing Board, granting a one-time waiver of penal interest to thousands of families across rural areas of the state.
The decision aims to ease the financial burden on beneficiaries who are willing to repay the remaining principal amount of their housing loans but have struggled to pay the penal interest levied on delayed instalments.
Under the decision, beneficiaries of various housing schemes of the Gujarat Rural Housing Board in rural areas will be eligible for a one-time penal interest waiver if they clear the entire outstanding principal amount within a stipulated period of six months.
The penal interest, charged at a rate of two per cent per month on overdue instalments, will be fully waived for those who comply with the conditions within the given timeframe.
Officials said the decision was taken after several beneficiaries approached the Chief Minister, saying that while they were prepared to repay the principal amount in full, the accumulated penal interest had become unaffordable.
Responding to these representations, Chief Minister Patel issued clear directions to introduce the one-time relief scheme in the broader interest of rural housing beneficiaries.
As a result of this measure, an estimated 9,029 rural families across Gujarat are expected to benefit.
The total relief extended through the waiver of penal interest is estimated at nearly Rs 154 crore.
Officials described the move as a substantial financial relief for low-income rural households that have been part of the state’s housing programmes.
An important outcome of the decision is that beneficiaries who clear their full principal dues within the six-month window will also receive ownership rights to their houses.
With the transfer of ownership in their names, these families will formally become homeowners, securing long-term housing stability.
By enabling beneficiaries to regularise their housing accounts without the burden of penal interest, the state government aims to accelerate the process of granting legal ownership to eligible families.
Officials noted that the relief scheme will be implemented as a one-time measure, and beneficiaries have been advised to take advantage of the opportunity within the prescribed period.
The move is expected to help rural families fulfil the goal of owning a permanent home, reinforcing ongoing efforts to expand access to housing in Gujarat’s villages.
–IANS
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