The Hindu 04.01.2014
State to set up housing risk fund
Staff Reporter
The State government will set up a State Housing Risk
Fund for low-income groups to mitigate credit risks in loans for
housing, Governor Nikhil Kumar said in his address to the Assembly here
on Friday.
The estimated shortage of 12 lakh houses
in the State could be addressed by strengthening existing schemes such
as Saphalyam, Grihashree, Anugraha, and Sowbhagya.
These
would be supplemented by another plan to provide 5,000 houses through a
loan of Rs.195 crore from the Housing and Urban Development
Corporation, Mr. Nikhil Kumar said.
The development
of Scheduled Caste colonies would be a priority area in 2014-15. The
government planned to adopt an additional 50 colonies under the
Self-sufficient Colony Scheme and initiate a special drive to ensure
that housing construction projects taken up by various departments were
completed in time. Providing land for the landless and houses for those
without it was a major concern, Mr. Nikhil Kumar said.
The
Governor said the government planned to build 60,000 houses under the
Indira Awaas Yojana of the Union Ministry of Rural Development.
The
State would expedite the allocation of funds, Rs. 50,000 per house, the
rest of which would be met by the panchayats, he said.
The first phase of construction of the Laurie Baker International School of Habitat Studies would also commence shortly.
The
Kerala State Housing Development Finance Corporation would be involved
more in mobilising funds for the housing sector development activities.
The government was also in the process of amending the Kerala Building (Lease and Rent Control) Act, the Governor said.
