(a) whether the Government has launched a Global Housing Technology Challenge-India (GHTC-India) to look for new Emerging, Disaster-Resilient, Environment Friendly, Cost Effective & Speedy Construction Technologies and if so, the details thereof; and
(b) whether the Government is encouraging in any way the private sector to construct housing units which follow the above norms and if so, the details thereof?
THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS
(SHRI HARDEEP SINGH PURI)
(a) Yes, Sir. Government of India through the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has launched Global Housing Technology Challenge - India (GHTC-India) to enable a paradigm shift in the construction sector for affordable housing in the country through global challenge. The objective of the challenge is to identify and mainstream a basket of innovative construction technologies from across the globe for housing construction sector that are sustainable, eco-friendly, cost effective, speedier and disaster-resilient.
(b) GHTC-India envisages to choose the best and cost effective technology for affordable housing in India so that the identified technologies could be used by both public and private sector. As a part of GHTC-India, six Light House Projects (LHPs) have been taken up through open bidding process for construction of about 1000 houses each at six locations in the country namely Indore (Madhya Pradesh), Rajkot (Gujarat), Chennai (Tamil Nadu), Ranchi (Jharkhand), Agartala (Tripura) and Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) by using six distinct housing construction technologies out of 54 innovative construction technologies identified through GHTC-India. These LHPs will serve as live laboratories for different aspects of transfer of technology to the field and learning centre for all stakeholders including private sector.
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