Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu, on Tuesday, ruled out any discrimination against some states in sanctioning affordable housing projects for the benefit of urban poor under the Prime Minister’s Awas Yojana (Urban).
In his reply to the discussion on urban poverty in the Lok Sabha, Mr.Naidu said the state governments are empowered enough to “appraise and approve” affordable housing projects and the Centre only does broad scrutiny.
“If some states do proper homework, prepare and approve projects at the level of Chief Secretary, my Ministry can’t put them on hold as there is a huge target for construction of houses for urban poor,” said Mr.Naidu.
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He agreed to the suggestions of fellow parliamentarians that more funds were needed for providing housing to each urban family by 2022. He said Finance Ministry would be approached for more funds as per the proposals of the State governments.
At present, the government is battling a housing deficit of 18.78 million units and 95 per cent of it is required for the economically weaker population which lives in and around the urban centres.
Speaking for the commitment of the Government to ensure “Housing for all the urban poor by 2022,” Mr.Naidu informed the House that as against 13,90,349 houses sanctioned over 10 years under JNNURM and Rajiv Awas Yojana, the BJP-led government in the Centre has already sanctioned 6,83,724 houses in the last few months. “Which is more than 50% of total sanctions in the past,” he said.
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He also informed that the Central Assistance under PMAY (Urban) has been increased from Rs.75,000 per house under Affordable Housing in Partnership component in the past to Rs.1.5 lakh per house now.
Interest subsidy on housing loans for the urban poor has also been increased from 5 per cent to 6.5 per cent now.