Mission 'Housing For All by 2022': Ambitious Project or a Reality

Smart Cities Mission and Housing for All by 2022 are potential game-changers for India

The ‘Housing for All by 2022’ mission has the potential to energize and power the growth-engine of the Indian economy, in the grim background of a floundering international economy. Coupled with the Smart Cities Mission, this ambitious mega initiative by the NDA government has everyone related with the housing sector very excited and eager to be a part of it. The ‘Housing for All’ mission intends to construct 20 million houses in urban India and 40 million houses in rural India. The figures are mind-boggling, for the simple reason that it involves the mobilization of staggering quantities of resources to achieve this target.

By the year 2022, when India celebrate the 75 year of its independence, India’s population would have touched 142 crores and increasing rapidly, leading to a piquant problem of ensuring sustainable living. India’s urban areas are bursting at the seams, what with 31percent of the population living in cities. These cities are also the chief agents that drive the economic growth of the country and contribute over 60 percent of the nation’s GDP. It is believed that in the next 15 years, these cities will be responsible for delivering 75 percent of the nation’s GDP.

Former CMD of HUDCO, V Suresh, a strategic member of the team responsible for India’s first ‘Housing And Habitat Policy in 1998, is upbeat about the potential that the ‘Housing for All Mission’ has, to change the way people live in India. He is of the opinion that if the government can ensure a dynamic housing policy framework that eliminates various regulatory obstacles, and enables simplified fiscal incentives to both sellers and buyers, while putting in place a workable support system aimed at cutting administrative delays, the mission will definitely transform the housing sector of the nation.

The crux of the matter lies in increasing ready-access to the basic resources like affordable land, quality building material and advanced technological support for mass construction, ease of finance and an enabling infrastructure. It is noteworthy that housing is a state subject, and in addition to the boost that the central government’s mission is poised to impart to the housing sector, the state governments have to spiritedly enjoin the mission and throw in their lot wholeheartedly to make it a success. They must undertake the task in a competitive spirit and race to complete their targets before other states do. This will enthuse the entire housing sector and its subsidiary constituents as the potential for jobs and wealth-creation is nothing less than phenomenal. The state governments would do good to get all the stakeholders on board from builders to customers, urban development agencies, financial institutions, community organizations, local pressure groups and all and sundry which may have a say in making matters simple and swift.

India’s large and rapidly growing population has demographic significance which cannot be ignored. While a growing population that is not gainfully employed could be a disaster, a settled and economically participatory population can add to the growth of the country. The entire process of creating housing for the teeming millions will generate myriad avenues of employment and set into motion a series of economic activities, each responsible for generating wealth on its own. Experts are of the opinion that the GDP may jump from the present 7-8 percent to somewhere in the realm of 12 percent. The increasing demand for a range of material will lend an impetus to millions of large, medium, small and even village manufacturing and other production units involved in the supply of building material, building components, fittings and fixtures, transportation and many more such activities. In addition, the manual, semi-skilled and skilled employment generated from the construction sector involving more than 65 trades and occupations will absorb the growing work-force with ease.

Experts with over four decades of experience in the field of real estate feel that the National Building Code of India 2005, is an inclusive and extensive document covering the needs of rural and urban areas with equal emphasis on all sections of society from the weaker, low, middle, and high income groups. This gives hope for all economic groups as these new initiatives are intended to be time bound and will have a completion clause written into all the deals that are made.

V Suresh, with his years of experience in housing, from pioneering spectacular changes to witnessing other changes over decades, enunciates an action plan that he feels can enable the success of the ‘Housing for All Mission’.

Some of the Salient Features are:-

1. Time-Bound Approvals: All projects should be accorded approvals in a time-bound manner to avoid delays.

2. Building Technology and Superior Material: As building will need to be built higher as FSI increases, the creation of technology to build stable and durable construction at reasonable prices will need to be accorded priority.

3. Availability of Affordable Resources: Optimal usage of land to control prices, other building material, increase in FSI, unrestricted supply of other material requirements can speed up projects and ensure success of the mission.

4. Basic Infrastructure:  Adequate water supply, efficient waste disposal systems, pure drinking water supply, adequate energy supply, efficient road, rail and air connectivity, social infrastructure like health, education, entertainment, arts and culture etc. will ensure the success of the mission.

 A lot needs to be done on the way to achieve the goals of ‘Housing for All by 2022’, which will transform a dream in a reality. India deserves this and it will be a great gift on its 75 anniversary of independence.