Question : RIGHT TO HOUSING

(a) whether the Government has made any assessment of the number of homeless families in the country and if so, the details thereof;

(b) the details of the provisions in place to address the housing requirement of the poor and economically weaker sections along with the achievements of such schemes during the last three years;

(c) the total expenditure incurred thereon, State, scheme and year-wise;

(d) whether the Government proposes to bring in a legislation mandating the right to housing; and

(e) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOUSING & URBAN POVERTY ALLEVIATION
(SHRI BABUL SUPRIYO)

(a): The Technical Committee constituted by Ministry of Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation has estimated 0.53 million homeless households in urban areas in 2012.

(b) & (c): It is the primary responsibility of States to address the housing requirement of all citizens, as ‘Land’ and ‘Colonisation’ are State subjects. However, in order to supplement the efforts of the State Governments in providing affordable housing, various schemes have been under implementation by this Ministry like Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), Rajiv Awas Yojana (RAY), Interest Subsidy Scheme for Housing the Urban Poor (ISHUP) and Affordable Housing in Partnership (AHIP). State-wise and Year-wise details of fund sanctioned and achievements during last three years under these schemes are at Annexure.

(d) & (e): No Madam, Government has no proposal to bring in a legislation on “Right to Housing”, as it is a State subject.