In a far-reaching decision that would impact a large number of Economically Weaker Section and Lower Income Group households in Delhi and curb to a great deal the practice of making false income certificates, Union Minister of Housing and Poverty Alleviation Ajay Maken has effected an upward revision in the income criteria for these categories.
Mr. Maken said his Ministry has approved the revised income criteria for defining beneficiaries under government schemes for housing under his Ministry. Now urban poor having an annual household income of up to Rs. 1 lakh will be classified as EWS and those falling between Rs. 1 lakh and 2 lakh would be categorised as LIG.
This announcement, made by Mr. Maken after the inauguration of HUDCO Pavilion at India International Trade Fair at Pragati Maidan, is very significant from Delhi’s point of view as lakhs of people here have applied for the EWS housing scheme under which the allotments are being awaited.
The Union Minister said the previous income criteria for selection of beneficiaries under various schemes of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation were fixed in 2010. At that time the monthly household income of up to Rs 5,000 was allowed for EWS while it stood at between Rs. 5,001 and Rs. 10,000 for LIG category.
Mr. Maken said the new income criteria has been devised on the basis of the old criteria while taking into account growth in per capita income, minimum wages for non-agricultural workers, monthly per capita expenditure, National Housing Bank’s RESIDEX, Consumer Price Index and Consumer Food Price Index.
Stating that the housing needs of the urban poor continue to be pressing, Mr. Maken said an estimated 18.78 million units are considered to be the housing shortfall at the beginning of the 12th Five Year Plan.
“Affordable Housing for All” is a key policy agenda of the Centre and one of the modes of delivery of this objective is through channelisation of credit to meet the housing shortage among the urban poor, he said.
