Ahead of poll, Haryana's Nayab Saini govt rolls out two mega housing plans

Pradeep Sharma

Chandigarh, July 12

In the run-up to the October Assembly elections in Haryana, the Nayab Singh Saini-led government on Friday okayed two major schemes for providing affordable housing to economically weaker sections (EWS) in both urban and rural areas.

Election dole?

• Urban poor to get Rs 1.5 lakh aid, besides interest subvention on housing loan
• For rural poor, assistance up to Rs 1 lakh for purchase of plot up to 100 sq yd

Sources said the ‘Mukhya Mantri Shehri Awas Yojana’ and ‘Mukhya Mantri Gramin Awas Yojana’, approved by the state Cabinet meeting on Friday, would be showcased as major pro-poor initiatives of the government during the elections.

Housing for All Minister Subhash Sudha claimed the schemes exhibited the government’s intent of providing affordable and habitable dwelling units to lakhs of homeless and poor people.

In urban areas, the government plans to provide housing to 1 lakh EWS families with annual household income of up to Rs 1.80 lakh.

The policy also has a provision for a 1 marla (30 sq yd) plot for each eligible family, allowing them to construct their own house. Widows, Scheduled Castes and nomadic tribes would be given preference. This scheme will integrate with the Beneficiary-led Construction (BLC) vertical of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U).

Last year, an online registration drive was conducted to assess the housing demand among urban poor. Approximately 2.89 lakh applicants had registered themselves, with 1.50 lakh opting for plots and 1.39 lakh for flats. A financial aid of up to Rs 1.5 lakh will be offered to facilitate the construction of house under the BLC vertical of the PMAY-U.

For beneficiaries securing housing loans up to Rs 6 lakh from nationalised banks, the state will provide interest subvention on the EMIs. The government will cover the total interest amount for the first two years, up to Rs 35,000 interest in the third year, up to Rs 25,000 in the fourth year and up to Rs 10,000 in the fifth year.

For rural areas, a financial aid of a maximum of Rs 1 lakh for the purchase of residential plot of up to 100 sq yd will be provided to those beneficiaries who could not get a plot under the Mahatma Gandhi Gramin Basti Yojana (MGGBY). The Rural Development Department will provide the list of such beneficiaries. The scheme will cover those who were to be allotted plots under the MGGBY, but couldn’t.