Chennai, May 14 Tamil Nadu's first integrated housing project exclusively for the differently-abled will be inaugurated in Coimbatore within a month.
Located at Orattukuppai, the project is in its final stages, according to official sources.
Coimbatore Collector Pavankumar G. Giriyappanavar announced that the district administration is also launching a livelihood initiative for the beneficiaries, enabling them to earn an income from their homes.
The effort aims to promote self-reliance among residents with disabilities.
The Tamil Nadu government allocated free land to 113 eligible individuals in 2023, and 86 of them were selected for the housing project.
Construction began in 2024 on 3.98 acres of land. The project has now been completed. Each of the 86 one-bedroom houses was constructed at a cost of Rs 6.60 lakh.
The total construction cost stands at Rs 5.59 crore, including Rs 1.8 crore from the government and Rs 3.68 crore from a charitable trust. An additional Rs 1.31 crore was spent on essential infrastructure such as water supply, drainage, overhead tanks, internal roads, and street lighting.
Special attention was given to accessibility, 16 houses have been fitted with differently-abled-friendly toilets, particularly designed for individuals with spinal cord injuries.
The district administration also plans to provide entrepreneurship training under the Tamil Nadu State Rural Livelihoods Mission, popularly known as Magalir Thittam.
According to Project Director R. Madhura, many beneficiaries and their family members already possess tailoring skills.
"We plan to enhance their skills further and support them in producing marketable goods," he said.
He added that there is consistent demand for tailoring services in the garment industry. Once trained, the beneficiaries could form a production cluster, and the administration will facilitate marketing opportunities, particularly in Erode, to help them generate a steady income.
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