Hyderabad: Revenue and Housing Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy set a June 2 deadline to resolve the journalist housing issue, directing officials to expedite the long-pending process of allotting house sites to eligible beneficiaries.
He stated that the government remained committed to a transparent and fair allocation system. The announcement followed earlier assurances by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, who had indicated that the matter would be settled after consultations with stakeholders.
The Minister held a review meeting at the Secretariat with representatives of multiple journalists’ housing societies. These included Jawaharlal Nehru Housing Society, Journalists’ Housing Society, Deccan Journalists and Telangana Housing Societies. During the interaction, officials examined membership records, eligibility criteria and founding details.
Initial findings showed that about 2,424 journalists from three societies, excluding Jawaharlal Nehru Housing Society, met eligibility norms. Therefore, the Minister suggested coordinated efforts among stakeholders to speed up the process. He proposed forming a Joint Action Committee to streamline discussions and decision-making.
June deadline set to resolve journalist housing issue
Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy said eligible journalists who are not part of any society would also receive house sites. He urged all groups to cooperate and avoid disputes that could delay implementation. In addition, he stressed that the allocation must proceed without controversy.
The Minister recalled that the issue had remained unresolved for years despite earlier efforts. He noted that members of the Jawaharlal Nehru Journalist Housing Society had waited nearly 18 years due to legal hurdles that stalled land allocation.
Meanwhile, the government is exploring new options, including allotting plots in Future City. The proposal could include journalists along with public representatives and officials. The Minister said the current administration aimed to resolve the matter within the set deadline.
During a separate meeting, officials asked society members to submit complete documentation and pass formal resolutions. However, members stated that they had already contributed ₹2 lakh each nearly 18 years ago and urged priority consideration.
Media Academy Chairman K. Srinivasa Reddy, Special Commissioner G. Mukunda Reddy and other officials attended the meeting and supported the plan for early resolution.
