Maharashtra housing policy aims to provide houses for all and make state slum-free

Time of India

5 days ago

MUMBAI
, Providing affordable and adequate housing for all residents, redeveloping old buildings, and transforming slums through public-private partnerships are key components of the
Maharashtra
government's new housing policy "My House, My Right".
A Government Resolution on the policy, approved by the state cabinet in May, was issued by the Housing Department on Wednesday.
The government expects an investment of Rs 70,000 crore during the implementation of the policy.
With its focus on "Housing for All", the policy aims to achieve a slum-free state by emphasising economically weaker sections, lower income and middle income segments.
The government proposes to construct 35 lakh houses over the next five years, with the ultimate target to build 50 lakh houses over ten years.
The policy proposes a comprehensive and statewide survey to assess the current and future housing needs. The survey, expected to be completed by 2026, forms a key part of the policy framework, the GR stated.
The policy aims to conduct a comprehensive slum rehabilitation and redevelopment programme, redeveloping old buildings to improve living conditions, optimising land use and transforming slums through public-private partnerships.
"It promotes inclusive housing by capturing resources created by the private market, integrated townships that offer affordable housing with essential services, and industrial workers' housing to ensure proximity to workplaces. The low-income groups, senior citizens, women, industrial workers and students will be given a priority in the policy", the GR stated.
It stated that the government plans to increase the size of
MahaAwas Fund
to Rs 20,000 crore.
"The ultimate target is to build 50 lakh houses in the next 10 years. To achieve this target, existing provisions under the Development Control and Promotion Regulations and Unified Development Control and Promotion Regulations and relevant institutional frameworks will be strengthened and modified as needed", it said.
The GR stated that the State Housing Information Portal (SHIP) will soon be developed to provide information on housing development through government and private sector partnerships, developers, and state-run undertakings.
It said the affordable housing has been given the infrastructure status, which will enable developers to avail external commercial Borrowing (ECB) and FDI for their projects. The affordable housing sector is also eligible for Priority Sector Lending (PSL) from banks and HFCs.
Under the "Walk to Work" concept, around 10 to 30 per cent of land should be reserved for housing in MIDC (Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation) areas.
"Such land should be handed over to the appropriate authority at the applicable acquisition price, so that authority can create adequate housing stock in such areas. The authority can also partner with the private industries to provide housing for industrial workers in a PPP model", it said.
The policy proposes to reserve 10 per cent to 15 per cent of the land suitable for housing projects adjacent to the ambitious infrastructure projects (Samruddhi Expressway and Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor).
Green building initiatives will be undertaken to promote sustainable development through eco-friendly practices and certifications.
To ensure inclusive development, the policy will address affordable housing for other vulnerable groups, such as senior citizens, working women, students, Project Affected Persons (PAPs) and migrant workers.
Amid burgeoning challenges due to climate change, the policy advocates construction of resilient and adaptable houses.
The policy proposes a slew of incentives including single-window clearance, one per cent GST, floor space index (FSI) up to 2.5 per cent, commercial use permitted up to 10 per cent of utilised FSI, concession in development changes, waiver of registration and stamp duty charges to the operators, reduced property tax for the first ten years of operation and 100 per cent deduction on the profit of operating student housing.
It stated that slum rehabilitation schemes on public land can be implemented in a joint venture by setting up a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) and adopting the Dharavi model of 20:80 redevelopment.
For this purpose, the initiative will require the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) to set up a special purpose company in which the SRA should hold a 20 per cent stake with voting rights.
The GR stated that the planned survey to assess current and future housing needs across all districts will serve as the foundation for future policy-making, enabling data-driven decisions on housing development, resource allocation, and prioritisation of infrastructure.
The exercise will include assessment of the existing housing stock, socio-economic profiles of households, and the availability of basic infrastructure and civic amenities.
A major focus of the survey will be the detailed analysis of housing demand. The government aims to capture demands across various income groups and geographical areas.
The policy will also facilitate a comprehensive land bank database to identify government-owned land parcels suitable for residential use.
A survey will identify and verify government and semi-government land available for construction. The data will be compiled into a district-wise digital land bank.
The SHIP portal will also facilitate coordination between state and Central departments, including the PM Gati Shakti initiative, urban local bodies, and infra agencies.