Odisha Govt approves 'Housing for All' policy in urban areas

The Odisha government today approved a policy for 'Housing for All' in urban areas.
The new policy got approval of the state cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik here.
The policy envisages provisions enabling framework for implementation of affordable housing projects, slum rehabilitation and redevelopment projects and to facilitate development of housing schemes in urban areas.
Stating that people belonging to Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) and Low Income Group (LIG) would benefit from the policy, Chief Secretary G C Pati said the policy aimed to work towards strategies to create a steady supply of affordable housing stock to cater to the growing demands.

"Over a period of seven years, the government intends to completely address housing deficit in urban areas and have an operational system where supply matches the demand," Pati said.
Replying a question, he said the objective of the policy was to create a framework to address all aspects of housing for the urban poor including creation and development of housing stock, beneficiary identification, allotment process, operation and upkeep of affordable housing projects.

The policy extends various incentives like fast track approval of projects, exemption of external/periphery development charges, building plan sanction fees and land use change conversion charges, to developers encouraging them to take up EWS and LIG housing, Pati said.

The policy also extends benefits to government agencies involved in housing such as Odisha State Housing Board, development authorities and urban local bodies, and land for affordable hosing projects and slum rehabilitation and redevelopment projects would be provided without any premium to these government agencies.
For general housing projects, the policy provides concession of 20 per cent on land premium to the government agencies in lieu of which they would reserve 20 per cent land area in a housing project for EWS and LIG housing, he said.
The policy also provides for setting up of the Odisha Housing Mission, a dedicated mission directorate to implement the policy and oversee its execution across the state.

Provisions for Affordable Housing Facilitation Centres having domain experts to support government agencies to participate in the vision of 'Housing for All' has also been proposed, Pati added.