UT’s target: Houses for all by 2022

Ramkrishan Upadhyay

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 27

The dream of residents to own a house in the city is likely to come true in the next five years as VP Singh Badnore, Punjab Governor-cum-UT Administrator, has approved the Chandigarh Affordable Housing Policy, 2017.

Sources said under the policy, the Administration had set a target to provide houses to all, particularly the urban poor, by 2022. Considering the increase in the population over the years, it is expected that the population of Chandigarh will be around 13 lakh by 2021. This has posed a major challenge for the Administration to provide houses to all in the city, which has grown beyond its planned capacity.

The main emphasis will be on the credit-linked subsidy scheme and affordable housing in partnership with the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.

Beneficiaries of low income groups seeking housing loans from banks and other institutions will be eligible for an interest subsidy at the rate of 6.5 per cent for a tenure of 20 years.

The policy has also made it mandatory for all group housing schemes to earmark 35 per cent of the total units for EWS housing. Under the scheme, a demand survey will be carried out and a list of the beneficiaries will be finalised based on the eligibility criteria under the policy.

To be eligible under the scheme, an applicant must be bona fide resident of Chandigarh as on May 16, 2015. Those who do not own any leasehold or freehold plot either in their own name or in the name of the spouse or any dependent member, including unmarried children, anywhere in India will be eligible. The house will be allotted in the name of the female head of the household or in the joint name of the male head of the household and his wife. Only in cases where there is no female member in the house, it can be allotted in the name of a male member of the household. Private developers will be involved in the construction of houses for the EWS /LIG categories by offering them attractive  incentives. The policy also aims at making Chandigarh a slum-free city.

Planning norms fixed

The policy has also fixed planning norms for the housing scheme. Under it, a maximum of 90 dwelling units per acre will be permitted. The maximum floor area ratio (FAR) allowed is 2 and the occupancy norms are "4.5 persons per flat". Parking under the EWS/LIG categories is for two-wheelers while under the MIG category, it is for one car.