Govt to name its urban housing mission after Sardar Patel

An investment of about Rs 50 lakh crore would be required over the next few years for various initiatives in housing

With an aim to provide housing for all by 2022, the government will soon launch an urban housing mission named after Sardar Patel by merging and improving existing housing schemes.

"Our Prime Minister has given a clarion call to provide housing for all by 2022. This will be the time when India will be celebrating its platinum jubilee of Independence," Housing and Poverty Alleviation Minister Venkaiah Naidu said at the World Habitat Day function here.

To achieve the objective, the government is shortly going to launch a comprehensive programme named 'Sardar Patel National Housing Mission' by merging and improving existing urban housing schemes, he said.

The NDA government had earlier named its ambitious skill development programme 'Deendayal Antodaya Yojana' after Jan Sangh leader Deendayal Upadhayay

Currently, there are several schemes including Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, Rajiv Awas Yojana, Indira Awas Yojana, Rajiv Rinn Yojana meant for providing housing facilities to economically weaker sections.

The minister said the new mission is in pursuit of Prime Minister's call of 'Har Parivar ko Ghar' (housing for every family).

Thirty million houses would be built by 2022, mostly for the economically-weaker sections and low income groups, through public-private-partnership, interest subsidy and increased flow of resources to housing sector, he said.

He said the government's urban development and housing initiatives aims at social inclusion so as to benefit all sections of urban residents including slum dwellers.

Naidu emphasized the need for proper urban planning to ensure 'slum free India' in the long run and said that the government is focusing on 'in-situ' development of slums by encouraging vertical construction.

The minister said the slum dwellers are entitled to 'not only a roof over their heads' but also, a safe and healthy environment, affordable transport and energy, safe and clean drinking water, employment and empowerment.

An investment of about Rs 50 lakh crore would be required over the next few years for various initiatives like Housing for All (Rs 22.50 lakh crore), urban infrastructure development (Rs 16.50 lakh cr), urban sanitation (Rs 62,000 cr) and building smart cities, he said.

Meanwhile, Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki Moon, in his message, called for a "new urban agenda that leaves no one behind.