CHB to launch affordable housing scheme in city soon

Ramkrishan Upadhyay

Tribune News service

Chandigarh, March 17

The dream of residents, belonging to the lower income group and economical weaker sections, of owning a house in the city will soon become a reality as the CHB has decided to launch an affordable housing scheme under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.

Sources said the Board would soon launch a demand survey under the scheme. The forms will be available at the CHB office and on the official website of the board. The number of flats will be decided after seeing the response in the demand survey.

The Chandigarh Administration has appointed the CHB as the nodal agency for implementation of the scheme.

Maninder Singh Bains, Chairman of the Board, confirmed that the board would launch a demand survey under the scheme soon for the residents belonging to the LIG and EWS on a no-profit-no-loss basis.

The sources said annual income up to Rs 3 lakh has been fixed as eligibility for applying under the EWS category and annual income between Rs 3 lakh and Rs 6 lakh for the lower income group (LIG) category.

The cost of a flat in the LIG category will be from Rs 10 to 15 lakh while it will be half the amount for the EWS category.

The modalities of the scheme are being worked out. The size of the flats and the final cost will be decided soon. But the cost will be within the reach of the intended groups of people.

The residents of the city have been raising the demand for providing affordable housing for a long time. The CHB is expecting a huge response to the scheme as it is coming at a time when owning house has become out of the reach for a majority of people due to high cost. The flats will be constructed up to fourth storey.