Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today announced that the Punjab government would construct one lakh houses for economic weaker sections in the next three years and urged the centre that State specific schemes along with a special fund be created to ensure smooth delivery of this commitment.Participating in the Housing for All conclave of State ministers of Housing and Urban Development held at the Vigyan Bhawan today, the Deputy CM, who also holds the Housing portfolio, said the Punjab government had made a social commitment to its people to construct one lakh houses for the weaker sections. He said the State had already created a land bank of 300 acres for this purpose and expected it to increase exponentially in the next one year.Delivering his address on the occasion, Sukhbir Singh Badal said as part of a policy all developers in Punjab had to hand over 5 per cent of their gross area to the government for development of housing for the economically weaker sections. He said the State has already enacted a housing policy envisaging private partnership, so that the committed housing could be built in the stipulated time frame.The Deputy CM also expounded on novel ideas at the conference which were met with all round applause and appreciation. He proposed that the centre could create a special fund in which excise revenue collected from sale of construction material could be deposited.
He said this revenue could then be transferred to the States for subsidizing housing for the weaker sections.Another proposal put forward by Mr Sukhbir Badal included exempting development authorities like GMADA and GLADA from payment of income tax. He said development authorities were contributing to urban development by creating much needed infrastructure as well as housing for the weaker sections and that income tax should not be levied on them.Emphasizing housing growth a parameter of health of economy, the Deputy CM also recommended that the centre consider reducing interest rates on affordable housing as inexpensive housing is the need of the hour.
He said this single step would give an impetus to affordable housing projects in the entire country.Taking up issues related to the States, Mr Badal also suggested that the centre should come up with State specific schemes even in case of the housing sector as each State had its specific needs. He also urged for resumption of financing of all projects which had been taken up under the ambit of the Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission (JNURM) earlier but could not be completed. He said this was essential to complete the projects.The conclave, which was presided over by Union Urban Development minister Venkaiah Naidu, was also attended by senior Punjab government officials including Housing Secretary Venu Prasad, Local Government Secretary Ashok Gupta, Principal Secretary to the Deputy CM – P S Aujla and Special Secretary Manvesh Singh Sidhu.