KUDA adopts transparent lottery system for Hagaraga housing site allotment

The Kalaburagi Urban Development Authority (KUDA) on Tuesday (August 4) began allotting residential sites under the Dr. Qamar-ul-Islam Hagaraga 50:50 Farmers’ Participation Housing Scheme through a lottery system.

The lottery draw, which commenced at Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Bhavan on the Gulbarga University campus, continued on Wednesday (August 5) for the remaining categories of applicants.

Addressing the inaugural function, KUDA chairman Mazhar Alam Khan said the Hagaraga 50:50 scheme was the dream project of former Minister Qamar-ul-Islam and had finally become a reality with the active support of Home Minister Priyank Kharge, along with MLAs Kaneez Fatima and Allamaprabhu Patil. He said the State Cabinet had approved the project in November 2023 after sustained efforts by the public representatives.

Mr. Khan said 6,253 applications had been scrutinised for allotment of 769 residential sites spread over 117 acres and five guntas under the farmers’ participation scheme. The sites were being allotted entirely through a lottery system to ensure fairness and transparency, without the involvement of any middlemen.

He announced that tenders for development works in the layout would be floated within a month. Roads, drinking water supply and other civic infrastructure would be taken up immediately so that allottees receive developed sites, he said.

The KUDA chairman said the authority was providing sites at affordable prices to fulfil the aspirations of economically weaker and middle-income families. Applicants who do not secure sites in the present draw need not lose hope, as they would have opportunities in future housing schemes, he added.

Inaugurating the lottery process, Basavaraj Mattimood, Kalaburagi Rural MLA, praised KUDA for introducing a transparent allotment system. Referring to complaints over site allotments in the past, he said the present lottery process under the leadership of Mazhar Alam Khan had ensured that eligible applicants received sites in a fair and transparent manner.

The MLA urged the authority to extend priority and subsidies to ex-servicemen, economically weaker sections and the homeless in accordance with government norms. He also said infrastructure works in the Hagaraga layout, including roads and drinking water facilities, would be completed at the earliest.

Deputy Commissioner Ikram Shariff formally inaugurated the programme by watering a sapling.

KUDA official Subbarao said the State government had introduced the 50:50 scheme to encourage planned and authorised layouts and discourage unauthorised developments. He said applicants could approach the authority after completion of the lottery process to clarify any doubts or seek information.

The lottery was conducted in the presence of the MLA, Deputy Commissioner, Superintendent of Police, Municipal Commissioner and other senior officials. Sites were allotted under various categories, including General, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Backward Classes, persons with disabilities, ex-servicemen, Union and State government employees, journalists, and State and national award winners.

Mayor Varsha Rajiv Jane, Superintendent of Police Addur Srinivasulu, Municipal Commissioner Avinash Shinde, KUDA Commissioner Shailendra Singh, Deputy Conservator of Forests Ashish Reddy, corporators and other public representatives were present in the programme.