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.