Affordable Housing Policy amended

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 20

The state government has amended the Affordable Housing Policy-2013 under the provisions of Section 9-A of the Haryana Development and Regulation of Urban Areas Act and any other corresponding statute governing development of affordable group housing colonies.

According to the amendment, “In any residential sector not more than 15 acres under the residential zone can be allowed for projects under this policy. However, the additional limit of 5 acres along with the remaining area, if any, out of the 10-acre limit, in each sector shall be allotted through a public notice, giving window of two months inviting applications for the remaining area to be made available under this Affordable Group Housing Scheme”.

If more than one eligible application for this additional area is received in any sector, then draw of lots shall be held to decide as to whom the licence has to be granted. Further, in case a portion of that area stands redundant due to the grant of the first and second licence in total 15 acres, a relaxation of 20 per cent on the minimum area norms of 5 acres, which comes to one acre, may be considered.

However, fee and charges will be levied on total 5 acres, but floor-area ratio and ground coverage will be allowed on the actual licenced area.

A spokesperson for the Town and Country Planning Department said all pending licence applications within the existing 10-acre limit available for various sectors would be decided as per the provisions of the existing policy parameters. If no application has been received even for the present 10-acre limit in any sector or applications have been received for less than permissible 10-acre limit in each sector, the present system of considering the application of any applicant without any specific time window would continue, the spokesperson added.