The Hindu Editorial Vocabulary– August 17, 2023; Day 452

Housing for all: On scheme to help the urban poor build houses in cities 

Addressing housing shortage in urban areas requires urgent, concerted (plan together) efforts 

The announcement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi of a scheme to help the urban poor build houses in cities is a signal that the government is to undertake one more plan to address the problem of a shortage in urban housing. Even five months ago, its stand was that no new housing scheme had been envisaged (Form a mental image of something that is not present or that is not the case) following the extension of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U) till December 2024, with the focus on expeditious (Marked by speed and efficiency) completion of sanctioned houses. But an appraisal of PMAY-U may have caused the shift in stance (A rationalized mental attitude). It also indicates that ‘housing for all’ is still a long way away. In the last eight years since the launch of PMAY-U, only two–thirds of the sanctioned houses, or 76.25 lakh houses out of about 1.19 crore sanctioned, were either completed or handed over as on August 14. The central assistance released was ₹1.49 lakh crore; the Centre’s share has been limited to 24.4% while that of States and urban local bodies is 16%. The remainder, almost 60%, has to come from beneficiaries. Of the estimated total investment of ₹8.31 lakh crore for the 1.23 crore houses originally proposed, the beneficiaries (urban poor) have to shell out (Pay or hand over money, esp. with some reluctance) ₹4.95 lakh crore. Under the proposed scheme, the share of beneficiaries should be brought down to at least 40%, as a parliamentary committee report highlights, as beneficiaries are not in a position to fully pay their share because of their low income. Even though some State governments try to help such beneficiaries access bank loans, financial institutions have been lukewarm (Feeling or showing little interest or enthusiasm) in their responses citing the lack of proof of sustained income.

The parliamentary committee also made well-considered suggestions on the implementation of PMAY-U, and the government would do well to examine them while drawing up (Form or arrange in order) the proposed scheme. The committee’s most significant recommendation is on the need to drop uniform and fixed assistance across the country, as followed in PMAY-U, and adopt a flexible arrangement instead, depending on the topography (​the physical features of an area of land, especially the position of its rivers, mountains, etc.; the study of these features) and other factors. Reasons behind the poor quality of the houses and the prevalence of unoccupancy too should be gone into. High land costs, floor space index restrictions, and multiple certification from different agencies are factors that determine the success of urban housing. This calls for central government-organised discussions with the relevant agencies such as State governments, local bodies, urban planning bodies, urban sector professionals, financial institutions and activists, as there is enough time for the Union government to formulate the new scheme. This time, the objective should be to draft a fool-proof (Not liable to failure) scheme so that ‘housing for all’ no longer remains a slogan but becomes a reality in the tangible (Capable of being treated as fact) future.

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