The Hindu 27.11.2010
10% layout space for poor
| Draft legislation on slum-free cities |
HYDERABAD: The government is planning to make it mandatory to earmark 10 per cent space in new layouts for the poor and the weaker sections in the draft legislation on slum-free cities titled A.P. Slum (Identification, Redevelopment, Rehabilitation and Prevention) Act.
Housing units
Developers will have to handover at least five per cent of the total area to the competent municipal authority to use the land for housing of Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) and another five per cent land, plots, housing units, built up space will have to be earmarked for the Low Income Groups (LIGs) for housing.
The draft legislation based on a Model Slum Act brought out by the Centre for implementing the Rajiv Awas Yojana (RAY) has indicated that such a measure was necessary to prevent future growth of slum and releases adequate land to meet the housing needs of the urban poor.
To ensure that housing units are built for the urban poor and to maintain such group housing, the draft has come out with a ‘Slum Redevelopment Fund' at the respective municipal-level.
Ten per cent from the urban poverty alleviation/urban services to the urban poor schemes, another 10 per cent of all town planning fees, contributions from the Central and State governments, external agencies and revenue from commercial spaces.
Beneficiaries
A slum-free city committee or district committee headed by the respective Municipal Commissioners or district Collectors will decide on the beneficiaries from among the EWS and LIGs besides monitoring migration and enforcing building regulations.
The 10 per cent land quota for the urban will be applicable to even existing land allotments made to various institutions from the unutilised portions and in all the fresh land allotments to be made.
Incentives
Incentives like an additional floor, change of land use, transferrable development rights, concession in fees, rules relaxation, etc., are to be given to developers taking up housing for the poor.
Beneficiaries selected under EWS are entitled to a house with a minimum carpet area of 225 s.ft. (25 sq.mts) dwelling whereas Low Income Group (LIG) beneficiaries are to get 432 sft (48 sq.mts).
