Hyderabad : Ramoji Film City, one of the largest film studio complexes in the world, will build 116 houses at a total cost of Rs 7 crore in Alappuzha to aid the revival of the flood-ravaged district. Local Self-Government Minister A C Moideen launched the project at a function at the Camelot Convention Centre here on Friday.
Ramoji Film City to build houses to aid revival of flood-ravaged Kerala
The Ramoji sponsorship was secured through ‘I am for Alleppey’, a social media collective initiated by Alappuzha sub-collector V R Krishna Thej.
Kudumbashree will construct the homes. The average expense of building a house would be RS 6 lakh, said officers. Finance Minister T M Thomas Isaac presided over the function. Even though state government’s bid to raise money for post-flood infrastructure rebuilding through crowdfunding proved unsuccessful, as many as 27 corporate houses and public figures are learnt to have decided to take up several reconstruction initiatives. Corporate houses including Mahindra and Mahindra, Ramoji Group, Dalmia Cements, Infosys Foundation, US Technologies, ACC Cement, TVS Group and public-sector companies like Indian Oil Corporation and Gas Authority of India Limited (Gail) have come forward offering help. They have promised to undertake reconstruction of houses and apartments, rebuilding of public buildings like hospitals and schools, as per a government document in this regard accessed by TOI. The document says that Mahindra and Mahindra has committed to be the part of rebuilding Kerala initiative, not only through its holding company but through its subsidiary companies also and the group have asked for a detailed proposal from the government. The Ramoji Group, which is a major business house based in Telangana, would take up construction of 120 houses at Rs 6 lakh per house, in Alappuzha. Government will identify the beneficiaries before entering a formal agreement with the group. The HDFC is planning to be part of the initiative by investing Rs 15 crore for reconstruction of hospitals and schools. The financial major would implement the plan through the M S Swaminathan foundation, over the next three years. Meanwhile, Haryana government is learnt to have unofficially communicated to the state government expressing interest in taking up reconstruction of Kaladi temple and nearby areas. The Akshardham temple is also learnt to have come forward offering support. The state cooperative banks were one of the first to announce that they will take up reconstruction of 1,500 houses. Individuals and organizations like Infosys co-founder S D Shibulal, actor Mohanlal, Galfar Muhammed Ali, Shabana Fizal Foundation and Union of UK Malayalee Associations have also informed their willingness to be part of the rebuilding process.
