Citizens’ Research Collective on SEZ

New Delhi, December 7, 2007: The new national urban housing policy makes it mandatory for every new public or private housing project to reserve up to 15 per cent of total land or up to 25 per cent of Floor Area Ratio for the economically weaker sections and the low income group (LIG).

With its goal, “affordable housing for all”, the National Urban Housing & Habitat Policy 2007 tabled in Parliament today, seeks to promote various types of public-private partnerships with special emphasis on the urban poor.
The new policy restricts private sector from assembling land within the purview of Master Plans. It aims to encourage integrated townships and special economic zones (SEZ).

Special emphasis has been laid in the policy on urban planning, increasing supply of land, use of spatial incentives like additional floor area ratio (FAR), Transferable Development Rights, increased flow of funds, healthy environment, effective solid waste management and use of renewable sources of energy.

Union minister of state for housing and urban poverty alleviation, Kumari Selja, said the new policy has been formulated keeping in view the changing socio-economic parameters of urban areas and growing requirement of shelter and related infrastructure.

The policy gives primacy to provision of shelter to urban poor at their present location or near their work place. n SNS