Urban Housing Mission launched in Odisha

Launching a new mission and policy for housing for all in urban areas, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today said land would be provided free of cost to economically weaker sections, low income groups and slum dwellers to construct houses.
"The State Government has decided to provide land free of cost for construction of houses to economically weaker sections, low income groups and slum dwellers to make houses affordable to them," Patnaik said launching ABAAS - Urban Housing Mission and Policy for Housing for All in Urban areas.
Abaas Mission would serve to fulfill the promise of protection and welfare of slum dwellers by providing affordable houses along with basic amenities like piped water supply, electricity, concrete roads, drainage and community centre, the Chief Minister said.

The State Government has notified "Policy for Housing for All in Urban Areas" for providing enabling framework for implementation of affordable housing projects, slum rehabilitation and re-development projects, and to facilitate development of housing schemes in urban areas, especially for people belonging to EWSs & LIGs.
With a view to protect the interests of the slum dwellers, the policy provides detailed guidelines and Standard Operating Procedure to be followed while evicting the slum dwellers for construction of dwelling houses for them or for construction of road, drain or other critical public infrastructure, Patnaik said.
To ensure time bound construction of large number of housing projects in various urban areas, a dedicated Mission Directorate for implementation of this policy will be set up by the Government, the Chief Minister said.

The policy also outlines institutional mechanism for sustainable operation and maintenance of the housing projects to ensure proper maintenance of the project area, he said.

"I believe that with the implementation of this policy in Mission mode, we will be able to completely address the housing deficit in urban areas in a time bound manner and have an operational system, where housing supply matches the demand," Patnaik said.
The CM asked the Housing & Urban Development Department, Odisha State Housing Board, Development Authorities, Municipal Bodies as well as Private Sector to make effective use of this policy to convert housing dream of people into a reality.

Earlier, the Chief Minister laid the foundation for Housing Projects for people of economically weaker sections and slumdwellers of Nakhara, Pandara, Ghatikia and Chandrasekharpur.