Private developers should plan affordable housing for weaker urban sections: Vyas

Private developers should develop economic models to foster affordable housing for the economically weaker sections and lower income group households in urban areas, said Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation Minister Dr. Girija Vyas here on Monday.

Delivering her inaugural address at a national symposium on affordable housing, Vyas said that in the last two decades, a majority of the houses were built and purchased by the growing upper and middle classes, while the poor segments of the society, basically economically weaker sections (EWS) and lower income Group (LIG), have not reaped the benefit of real sector boom.

Dr. Vyas said this has come out clearly in a report prepared by a technical group set up by her ministry, which shows that out of 18.78 million housing shortage in the country, 96 per cent shortage is in the EWS and LIG category.

To rectify this, she said there was a need for huge investments, and added that in this regard the private sector could team up with the government needs to play a crucial role to fill this gap.

Vyas also released National Buildings Organisation publication on "Urban indicators: a statistical compendium 2013" on the occasion.

This publication, is an attempt to provide important data on urbanisation, urban poverty, health, education, employment and housing amenities in one place and will be very useful for policy makers, planners, administrators, researchers, civil society partners and other stakeholders in urban development and poverty alleviation.

Vyas informed that her ministry is modifying all the major schemes including the Rajiv Awas Yojana for rehabilitation of slum dwellers, Rajiv Rinn Yojana for providing interest subsidy on housing loans, Affordable Housing in Partnership scheme to attract private players in housing and the National Urban Livelihoods Mission to boost the employment potential of the urban poor and enormous budgetary support has been earmarked during the current plan period.

She said there is an urgent need to focus the policy and programmes of the Central and State Governments towards inclusive and sustainable urban development.

The symposium was organised by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation and was attended by more than 200 delegates including an impressive spectrum of state housing and urban development ministers, senior officers of state and central government ministries, industry associations, academicians and technical experts on the subject.