DHAKA, Feb 17: Ashrayan programme of the Bangladesh government is expected to rehabilitate another 50,000 homeless families in southern coastlines as a part of a poverty alleviation campaign raising their homes and providing them with other civic facilities including interest-free loans.

"Works are underway in full swing to rehabilitate some 50,000 ultra poor homeless families in the southern coastlines under the Ashrayan Phase by 2014 . . . the entire amount of the Taka 1,169 crore will be spent from government exchequer," Ashrayan's Project Director Abdul Awal Chowdhury told BSS.

He said at least two members the target families would also be provided with 14 days training on different trades and one of them would be given an one time loan of Taka 10,000 for launching their income generation activities.

The rehabilitation campaign called Ashrayan, a homegrown programme initiated during the previous 1996-2001 tenure of the Awami League of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, rehabilitated more than one lakh families until 2010 and of them over 50,000 were rehabilitated by 2002 at a cost of Taka 300 crore.

"The project aims at improving their (target peoples) living conditions and make education, health and livelihood opportunities available to them," Chowdhury said adding that the government so far allocated over Taka 2,000 for the rehabilitation campaign.

Officials familiar with the programme said the rehabilitated families were housed in tin-roofed concrete barrack like houses with water supply and in possible cases electricity facilities inside a compounds having small community centres.

The houses or barracks for the ethnic minority people are raised in special designs maintaining their tribal culture and heritage.

"All of them are brought under VGF (vulnerable group feeding) programme," Chowdhury said.

Army troops and different government organizations including deputy commissioners' offices were tasked to implement the Ashrayan-2 Project.

The project also rehabilitated 9,980 families, constructed 40 permanent barracks, 172 community centres and 172 permanent stairs with Taka 599.48 crore in 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 fiscal year.