Transformation of Kutcha houses into Pucca ones
By A T Bureau
A Technical Group constituted by the Ministry of Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation in 2006 to assess the urban housing shortage has estimated that by 2007 out of total housing stock of 58.83 million, 2.18 million would be katcha units.
The National Urban Housing & Habitat Policy (NUHHP) 2007 aims at promoting sustainable development of habitat in the country with a view to ensuring equitable supply of land shelter and services at affordable prices to all sections of the society. ‘Land’ and ‘colonisation’ being state subjects, it is for the State Governments to pursue the initiatives under the NUHHP: 2007 and no timeframe for facilitation of housing to all citizens can be assigned.
However, the Central Government is supporting the construction of housing for poor sections of the society in urban areas through various programmatic interventions.
§ The Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), launched by the Government in the year 2005 supports provision of housing and basic services to urban poor in slums in 65 specified cities under the Sub Mission Basic Services to the Urban Poor (BSUP) and in other cities and towns under the Integrated Housing and Slum Development Programme (IHSDP). The schemes are demand driven and as on 16th March 2011, 15,70,908 dwelling units have been sanctioned and Central share of Rs. 21039.87 crores committed for the purpose.
§ The Interest Subsidy Scheme for Housing the Urban Poor (ISHUP) provides for interest subsidy on housing loans to the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) and Low Income Group (LIG) as part of credit-enablement measures and encourages those households to avail of loan facilities through Commercial Banks/Housing Finance Companies for the purposes of construction/acquisition of houses and avail 5% subsidy in interest payment for loans upto Rs. 1 lakh. As on 16th March 2011, 5573 households have benefited under the scheme in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.
§ The Government has launched the scheme of Affordable Housing in Partnership with an outlay of Rs.5,000 crores for construction of one million houses for EWS/LIG/Middle Income Group (MIG) with at least 25% for EWS category. The scheme aims at partnership between various agencies/ Government/ parastatals/ Urban Local Bodies/ developers for realizing the goal of affordable housing for all. As on 16th March 2011, 19100 houses with Central Government assistance of Rs.53.96 crores have been sanctioned to various States under the scheme.
