The Government would construct over three crore houses by 2022, mostly for the economically-weaker sections (EWS) under its proposed urban housing mission, to be named after Sardar Patel by merging and improving existing housing schemes.
“Our Prime Minister has given a clarion call to provide housing for all by 2022. This will be the time when India will be celebrating its platinum jubilee of Independence,” Housing and Poverty Alleviation Minister Venkaiah Naidu said at the World Habitat Day function on Thursday here. The Minister said the 3 crore houses would be built through public-private-partnership, interest subsidy and increased flow of resources to housing sector.
To achieve the objective, the Government is shortly going to launch a comprehensive programme named ‘Sardar Patel National Housing Mission’ by merging and improving existing urban housing schemes, he said. The Government has estimated an investment of over Rs22.50 crore to meet its aim of providing housing for all by 2022.
Currently, there are several schemes including Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), Rajiv Awas Yojana, Indira Awas Yojana, Rajiv Rinn Yojana meant for providing housing facilities to economically weaker sections.
All these schemes launched during the Congress rule will be converged or done away with once the Sardar Patel National Housing Mission is launched.
Naidu emphasised the need for proper urban planning to ensure ‘slum free India’ in the long run and said the Government is focusing on ‘in-situ’ development of slums by encouraging vertical construction.