Amendment To Urban Ceiling Act Proposed

Speaking at the valedictory session, planning commission deputy secretary Madhu Dandavate said the country requires a comprehensive housing program.

Dandavate said housing and shelter for all would be given special thrust in the ninth plan, which is being drafted at present.

All the recommendations of this seminar would be considered for the ninth plan, he said.

It was suggested the Urban Land Ceiling Act, which had led to high land prices in urban areas, should be restricted to fewer cities instead of the existing practice of taking over ceiling surplus.

The Land Acquisition Act, it felt, should be replaced with a new legislation to speed up the acquisition process, reduce litigation and take into account the rehabilitation of population in the development projects.

 

It was suggested the state government should take steps to confer tenurial rights over homestead land and rural areas on tenants wherever no such rights exist.

The rent control legislation in the states need to be amended so as to provide for an equitable balance between the interest of the landlord and those of the tenants.

The foreclosure procedures, it said, should be simplified to encourage flow of housing finance. The stamp duty and registration charges need to be rationalised and reduced to encouraged housing activity.

It was also recommended that the withdrawn fiscal incentives be restored. Incentives made available to infrastructure sector in the 1995-96 and 1996-97 budgets should be made available to housing.