NEW DELHI, December 21: The central government has approved an assistance of Rs 678 crore for 73 projects to build houses in Telangana for people belonging to economically weaker section, Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya said today. "Venkaiah Naidu, Minister of Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation today sanctioned 73 projects involving 45,217 houses for economically weaker sections in 19 cities and towns in Telangana under the Prime Minister's Awas Yojana (urban) with a total central assistance of Rs 678 crore," Labour Ministry said in a statement. The Telangana government has proposed allocating 45,217 houses for urban poor in 27 cities involving 73 projects with a total cost of Rs 3,716.40 crore. The Telangana State Housing Corporation is to take up the projects for 2 bedroom houses along with development of basic infrastructure. Out of 73 projects, 52 belong to Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and 21 projects to 18 urban local bodies (ULBs). Of the sanctions, as many as 29,531 houses are to be build in Hyderabad, Karimnagar (1,038), Janagaon (800), Zaheerabad (400), Bodhan (231), Nagerkurnool (250), Medak (2,353), Palvancha (1,903), Vikarabad (291), Wanaparthy (592), Nalgonda (405), Siricilla (1,680), Achhampet (500), Metpally (1,250), Mahaboobad (800), Nirmal (500) and Armoor (500). Dattatreya also urged Naidu to consider 31 more cities/ULBs under Housing for All Mission of the Prime Minister, to which the latter responded positively.