The Centre will soon roll out the ‘Sardar Patel Urban Housing Mission’, which will ensure 30 million houses by 2022, mostly for the economically weaker sections and low income groups. On Thursday, Union Minister for Housing and Poverty Alleviation and the Urban Development M. Venkaiah Naidu said the
Mission is in keeping with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s direction of Har Parivar ko Ghar (a house for every family).
To be built through public-private-partnership, interest subsidy and increased flow of resources to the housing sector, these houses are also aimed at creating slum free cities across the country. “Government’s urban development and housing initiatives will aim at social inclusion so as to benefit all sections of urban residents including slum dwellers,” said the Minister, speaking at ‘World Habitat Day - Voices from Slums’ a programme, organised by the HUPA Ministry.
On the steps being initiated to replace slums with low cost houses, the Minister said the focus is on in-situ development of slums by encouraging vertical construction. “Slum dwellers are entitled to not only a roof over their heads but also, a safe and healthy environment, affordable transport and energy, safe and clean drinking water, employment and empowerment,” the Minister said.
An investment of about Rs. 50 lakh crore would be required over the next few years for various initiatives including Housing for All (Rs. 22.50 lakh crore), urban infrastructure development (Rs. 16.50 lakh crore), urban sanitation (Rs. 62,000 crore) and building smart cities, the Minister said.
