Tackling Urban Housing Shortage

Tackling Urban Housing Shortage
In keeping with the view of changing trends of urbanization, Government has approved
National Urban Housing & Habitat Policy, 2007 to replace the existing National Housing and
Habitat Policy, 1998. The policy seeks to initiate various measures like public-private participation
in land assembly, foreign direct investment, timely formulation and review of Master Plans and
Zonal Plans, fiscal incentives for housing sector, strengthening modern technological advances to
ensure low cost housing, simplification of various statues, increase in cooperation among Central
Government, State Government and Urban Local Bodies etc. it is expected that the new Policy
will give rise to fresh initiatives to tackle the urban housing shortage.
In order to cope with massive problems that have emerged as a result of rapid urban
growth. Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) was launched by the
Prime Minister on December 3, 2005 with an objective to provide focused attention to integrated
development of urban infrastructure and services in select 63 cities with emphasis on urban poor,
slum improvement, community toilets/baths, etc. The Mission has two sub-missions. – Basic
Services to the Urban Poor (BSUP) and Integrated Housing and Urban Slum Development
Programme (IHSDP). Under BSUP 204 Detailed Projects Reports
improvement/development/relocation of slums to improve the housing and infrastructure
conditions of urban poor from 51 Mission Cities of 26 States have so far been approved with a
total project cost of Rs. 12,900.45 crore with a Central Share of Rs. 6454.55 crore covering
6,27,040 Dwelling Units and other basic civic amenities to the Urban Poor. And under IHSDP 303
Detailed Project Reports on improvement/development/relocation of slums to improve the
housing and infrastructure conditions of urban poor from 18 States have so far been approved
with a total project cost of Rs. 2,878.73 crore with a Central Share of Rs. 2102.64 crore covering
2,06,235 Dwelling Units and other basic civic amenities.
Stress on Sanitation
The Government has enacted a Central Act known as “Employment of Manual
Scavenging and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act 1993”. It prohibits employment of
manual scavengers as well as construction or continuation of dry latrines in any form. Failure or
contravention of the Act is a punishable offence with imprisonment for a term which may extent to
one year or with fine, which may extend to Rs. 2000/- or both.
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation is also implementing a centrally
sponsored scheme known as ‘Integrated Low Cost Sanitation Scheme’ (ILCS) which envisages
conversion of dry latrines into water-seal latrines for individual households in urban areas of the
country. The Scheme is being operated through Housing & Urban Development Corporation
(HUDCO) providing a mix of subsidy from the Central Government and loan from HUDCO. It
covers all sections of population of the town (HIG, MIG, LIG & EWS).
Technology Promotion
Building Materials and Technology Promotion Council (BMTPC), a registered Society
under the aegis of the Ministry of Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation for providing an
appropriate platform for technology promotion transfer and application in the shelter sector and
commercial production of innovative building materials is engaged in extension and dissemination
activities as an inter-ministerial “platform”. The Council will make further efforts to strengthen the
database by providing meaningful information for the use of community so that the quality of
construction can be improved by choosing the best options available for different regions and
geo-climatic situations.
The National Cooperative Housing Federation of India (NCHF) is a national level
organization of the entire cooperative housing sector in the country. The primary objective of
NCHF is to promote, guide and coordinate the activities of housing cooperatives in the country.
NCHF is envisaged to play a key role to ensure the delivery of about 2.5 lakh dwelling
units involving loan component of Rs 5000 crore from financial institutions and another Rs. 5000
crore by way of contribution by cooperatives/individuals.
NCHF would make efforts in propagating application of cost-effective and quake resistant
technologies and materials to make the houses more safe and affordable to members of housing
cooperatives.
Welfare Schemes
The Central Government Employees Welfare Housing Organisation was set up in 1990.
An autonomous body specially constituted for construction of houses for Central Government
employees on all India basis, the organization has been constructing effectively since 1994. It
undertakes social welfare schemes on ‘no profit-no loss’ basis for the Central Government
employees serving and retired, for spouses of the Central Government employees and
employees in service of this Society and to spouses in case of deceased employees.
The CGEWHO’s housing projects are highly endorsed by the Central Government
employees as they are able to get good value for money invested by them and the houses are
handed over within a period of 2/3 years. Number of housing projects comprising 10,594 dwelling
units (DUs) have been completed and handed over to its beneficiaries in various parts of the
country. About 2798 dwelling units are presently under construction/planning and schemes for
4750 numbers of dwelling units are to be announced during the year 2008. CGEWHO has also
constructed Army Institute of Management & Technology on behalf of Army Welfare Education
Society, Ministry of Defence at Greater Noida.
The initiatives have gone a long way in giving impetus to the Government’s approach on
urban renewal and for improving the quality of life of the urban poor.
*Inputs from the Ministry of Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation