The Cabinet today approved a new housing policy on affordable housing to weaker sections. The new policy, Housing and Urban development cleared in meeting.
One of the official spokesperson said that the policy would also focus on rationalizing norms for housing projects and spell out procedure for the same. It would ensure uniform buildings rules, incentives for construction of affordable houses/ green buildings and the timeline for approval of projects. It also emphasis on the need to evolve a mechanism by including ‘’land pooling’’ and making landowners partners in development to avoid delays in land acquisition. The Cabinet approved the transfer of 100 hectares of land to the Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) free of cost. This will give a major thrust to the agriculture diversification programme. The endeavor will also help develop new hybrid and high-yielding varieties of maize. The Cabinet decided that vacant land of the Irrigation Department is transferred to the Housing and Urban Development Department for optimum utilization. The revenue generated from it will be used for strengthening, revamping and creating infrastructure in the Irrigation Department.
To mop up additional revenue the Cabinet gave approval to levying stamp duty at the rate of 2% on the power of attorney given for sale/transfer of land to non-family of land to non-family transferees.
The Cabinet has also amended in building rules, more covered areas especially in case of residential development have been allowed. Ground coverage for flats has been reduced to 30%to ensure vertical development and to maximize open spaces on the ground floor. Similarly the ground coveragefor industry buildings have been enhanced. The government to mitigate the hardship being faced by developers and clients regarding allotment of plots and approval of projects decided to set up regulatory body which will be settling the disputes. License renewal fee has been reduced to 50% or Rs 10,000% which ever is less.
*Source : Accommodation Times.
