DEHRADUN: The Uttarkhand government’s housing policy that recently got the Cabinet nod will provide houses to some one lakh economically weaker section (EWS) families by 2022 besides giving boost to real estate and keeping urban areas free of slums, an official said.
“Through the new housing policy, we primarily aim to provide one lakh EWS category houses to the homeless at heavily subsidised rates in urban areas by 2022 under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna,” secretary, housing, Amit Negi told Hindustan Times. “Besides, the strategy will also help beautify all urban areas as those living in slums will be shifted to EWS category houses.”
The scheme would also provide a much-needed boost to the real estate business which was facing slump for the past some time. “The real estate sector will get a boost because as per the housing policy, real estate developers will be entitled to a number of incentives.”
He said it was now mandatory for real estate developers to build 15% flats for the EWS if they would build a housing complex in more than 5,000 sq metre area. At the same time, those in the realty sector would be entitled to incentives under the policy if they would offer to set aside 35% flats for the EWS families and sell them to the state government for Rs 6 lakh each.
“In that case, land use conversion charges will be waived off. Besides, they will have to pay less stamp duty in comparison,” Negi said. All such incentives will encourage real estate developers to build more residential complexes, which will give boost to the realty sector. “It will also lead to more consumption of steel, cement giving boost to the manufacturing sector.”
{{/usCountry}}“In that case, land use conversion charges will be waived off. Besides, they will have to pay less stamp duty in comparison,” Negi said. All such incentives will encourage real estate developers to build more residential complexes, which will give boost to the realty sector. “It will also lead to more consumption of steel, cement giving boost to the manufacturing sector.”
{{/usCountry}}Negi asserted the housing policy would be implemented in keeping with the Pradhan Mantri Housing Scheme for All. “That will help us provide the EWS houses to the poor at highly subsidised rates,” he said, adding that of Rs 6 lakh of the total cost of an EWS flat, a subsidy of Rs 1.5 lakh would be provided by the Centre. “So, in all, an EWS flat would not cost more than Rs 3.5 lakh to a poor family.”
Similarly, a host of incentives proposed under the housing policy would motivate real estate developers to build more residential complexes for the poor in urban areas. “Under the policy, if real estate developers meet some of the conditions, they will be permitted to build flats for the middle and the higher income groups and also sell them,” Negi said.