Union Minister for Urban Development, Housing and Parliamentary Affairs M. Venkaiah Naidu today suggested a 25-point charter for urban planning and management to ensure planned urbanisation, assured amenities and decent urban life.
Addressing the Conclave of Ministers of Housing and Urban Development of States and Union Territories here, Venkaiah called for ‘out of box’ thinking and solutions to address emerging challenges of urbanisation in the country. He noted that “housing is a basic indicator of well-being of our people and particularly, the poor. Lack of own house, in my view is the basic deprivation and this has to be met in right earnest and hence, the Central government’s initiative of providing housing for all by 2022”. The minister said, after the recent general elections, it is time for the central and state/UT governments to move forward as ‘Team India’ as desired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He assured the ministers from states and Union Territories that there will be no discrimination in allocation of resources on any ground.
The minister informed that to meet the housing shortage of 300 lakh houses in urban areas by 2022, various options including channelizing tax revenues generated through enhanced economic activity on account of massive housing scheme back into housing through an ESCROW account, interest subvention and Public Private Partnership are being examined. The Minister noted that the government would soon firm up the way forward on development of 100 ‘Smart Cities’. He said that there is considerable interest in this scheme from different developed countries.
Anita Agnihotri, Secretary (Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation and Urban Development) presented a summary of the deliberations at the Workshop of Secretaries of Urban Development, Housing and Local Bodies held on Wednesday for further consideration of the Ministers. (NSS)
