Karnataka government has set a target of distributing two lakh houses and as many house sites to the poor across the state by April next, state minister forhousing Katta Subramanya Naidu said today.

Naidu, who held a meeting with officials of the Rajiv Gandhi Housing Corporation and Housing Department, has fixed a deadline of August 1 to commence work on these projects.

He said of the 4.5 lakh houses planned to be built by the BJP Government to free the state from hutment dwellers in the next three years, about 1.5 lakh would be completed in the first phase by April next in rural areas.

A total of 50,000 houses would be constructed in urban areas under 'Vajpayee Housing scheme' and two lakh sites distributed, Naidu told reporters.

A survey already undertaken has concluded that 1500 villages have no hutment dwellers.'However, to reconfirm this, the government has entrusted survey to a private agency, which is on the job.'

The government was considering three types of houses-- Bhagya, Sampada and Yashas-- in cities for the benefit of poor urban homeless and the project would be taken up on the basis of demand.The cost of each unit would be in the range of Rs 3.65 lakh to rs 4.90 lakh, Naidu said.

The Bhagya housing scheme will have a house on a 325 sq ft built up area with one bedroom, Sampada on 375 sq ft with a bedroom and a study room and Yashas on a 450 sq ft area with two bedrooms.

It is proposed to take up construction of one lakh houses under this project, he said.