Question : RIGHT TO HOUSING

(a) whether the Government proposes to include the right to housing as a Fundamental Right;

(b) if so, the details thereof; and

(c) if not, the reasons therefor?

MINISTER OF HOUSING & URBAN POVERTY ALLEVIATION(KUMARI SELJA)

(a)&(b): No, Madam.

(c): `Land` and `Colonisation` being State subjects, it is primarily the responsibility of State Governments to provide for adequate shelter and take measures to facilitate the same.

This Ministry is already seized of the problem of housing shortage in the urban areas. According to the estimates made by the Technical Group constituted by the Ministry for assessment of the urban housing shortage at the end of the 10th Five Year Plan, the total housing shortage in the country is 24.71 million. The Group had further indicated that more than 99% of this shortage pertains to Economically Weaker Sections(EWS) and Low Income Group (LIG) Households. An investment of Rs. 361318 crore would be required to overcome the backlog of shortage during the 11th Plan period.

The Union Government formulated the National Urban Housing & Habitat Policy, 2007 with the aim of providing `Affordable Housing for All` with particular emphasis in meeting the housing needs of the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) and Low Income Group (LIG). This policy seek to promote sustainable development of the urban habitat with a view to ensuring equitable supply of land, shelter and services at affordable prices to all sections of society.

In 2005,Government launched the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), to make provision, inter-alia, of housing and basic services for the urban poor by a holistic and integrated development of slums in 65 specified cities under the Sub Mission Basic Services to the Urban Poor (BSUP) and in other cities and towns under the Integrated Housing and Slum Development Programme (IHSDP). A total of 461 projects under Basic Services to the Urban Poor (BSUP) and 839 projects under Integrated Housing & Slum Development Programme (IHSDP) have been approved all over the country so far envisaging construction/ upgradation of 9,93,523 and 4,61,887 dwelling units respectively.

In December 2008, Government started a new scheme - Interest Subsidy Scheme for Housing for the Urban Poor (ISHUP) for providing interest subsidy to make housing loans affordable and within the repayment capacity of Economically Weaker Sections (EWS)/ Low Income Group (LIG). The scheme makes available loans upto Rs.1 lakh through Commercial Banks/Housing Finance Companies for the purposes of construction/acquisition of houses with an interest subsidy of 5%.

With a view to encourage allotment of land for EWS housing, another Scheme for `Affordable Housing in Partnership`, was started under which Central Government assistance is available for infrastructure connectivities for housing projects which provide houses upto 80 Sq.mt. carpet area of which at least 25% are for EWS/LIG.

In June 2009, Government announced the intention to comprehensively address the issue of slums, and to provide a Rajiv Awas Yojana (RAY) for housing in urban areas along the lines of the Indira Awas Yojana, wherever states are willing to assign property rights to people living in slum areas.

Therefore, in view of the steps being taken through various policy and programme initiatives to address the urban housing shortage, the Government is of the view not to include right to housing as a fundamental right.