Question : AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR LOWER AND MIDDLE INCOME GROUPS

(a) whether the various schemes launched for providing affordable housing for the people belonging to the lower and middle income groups have not been able to achieve the objective of affordable housing/housing for all and if so, the details thereof and the reaction of the Government thereto along with the constraints encountered in this regard;

(b) whether the price of houses/dwelling units in urban areas/cities/metros are increasingly getting out of reach of the people of the said income groups;

(c) if so, the details thereof and reaction of the Government thereto;

(d) whether the Government has any proposal for facilitating Public-Private Partnership in developing affordable housing units in urban areas and if so, the details thereof; and

(e) the details of the steps proposed to be taken to remove the constraints faced in developing affordable housing units in urban areas?

THE MINISTER OF HOUSING AND URBAN POVERTY ALLEVIATION [SHRI M.VENKAIAH NAIDU]

(a): The Ministry under the ongoing Schemes provides Central support and incentive for construction of affordable houses for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) and Low Income Group (LIG) sections. Under Rajiv Awas Yojana (RAY), a total of 1,20,912 houses have been sanctioned, of which 1,154 houses have been completed. AIn 18 projects taken up under Affordable Scheme in Partnership (AHP), 20,472 dwelling units have been sanctioned out of which 3466 have been completed.

Under the Basic Services to the Urban Poor (BSUP) and Integrated Housing and Slum Development Programme (IHSDP) components of Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) which has been extended upto 31.3.2015 for completing the ongoing works sanctioned till March, 2012, out of 14,42,187 sanctioned houses, 8,26,263 houses have been completed till now.

These Schemes are budgetary support schemes and the shortage of houses is much larger than that can be supported with the available budget.

(b) & (c): Housing prices are increasing in urban areas mainly because of rising prices of land and cost of building materials. The Government is lending its support to the State Governments in creation of affordable housing stock through the ongoing Schemes including Rajiv Rinn Yojana (RRY), an interest subvention Scheme.

(d) & (e): As such there is no proposal. Government is holding consultations with various stakeholders for providing pucca houses to all by 2022 as announced in the President’s Address to Joint Session of both the Houses of Parliament on 9th June, 2014.