To develop affordable residences for the urban poor in the city, the State Government is contemplating to reserve at least 20 per cent of the land for housing project for them, up from 10 per cent at present.
According to BDA sources, at least 10 per cent housing land would be reserved now though the Government wants at least 20-25 per cent land reserved for such schemes. Sources said under the scheme the urban poor can buy a dwelling unit for less than Rs5 lakh. The BDA has planned to construct about 100,000 affordable houses for the economically weaker sections in all 14 zones of Bhubaneswar. Around 42 per cent population of the capital city are staying in 500 slums in city. Also, almost 75 per cent of the residents cannot afford a house.