The city has been adjudged the ‘best' at the national level for providing housing to the poor in the public-private partnership (PPP) mode under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) programme.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh gave away the award to Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister M. Mahidhar Reddy and Vijayawada Municipal Commissioner G. Ravi Babu at a programme organised at New Delhi on Tuesday.

Mr. Manmohan Singh congratulated the Municipal Commissioner for taking up Jakkampudi housing under the PPP model. Involving the farmers in providing housing for the poor was an innovative concept.

The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) developed the land at Jakkampudi on 60:40 ratio. The farmers received 60 per cent of the developed land while the corporation constructed 8,800 houses on its share of land, the Commissioner said.

Union Minister of Urban Development and Housing Kumari Selja was present.