Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Haryana's Affordable Housing Policy 2013



By Haryananewswire
CHANDIGARH, MARCH 19
Committed to providing people with a roof over the head, the Haryana Government has formulated draft ‘Affordable Housing Policy 2013,’ and sought suggestions from the public as well as stakeholders before implementing it. The draft policy aims at encouraging ‘Affordable Housing Projects’ and can have real impact on making housing affordable in the urban areas of the state.
          Stating this here today, an official spokesman said that suggestions on the draft policy may be sent up to April 2, 2013, through e-mail to the Director General, Town and Country Planning (DGTCP), at tcphry2@gmail.com; or ctp1.haryana.tcp@gmail.com; and DTP (headquarters), office of DGTCP, at dtp.hqpp.tcp@gmail.com.
          The policy will come into force only after weighing all the suggestions and effecting necessary amendments in the draft. The new policy comes in the wake of the realisation that the low-cost or affordable housing policy, announced earlier on May 28, 2009, has not been successful in achieving the desired results, the spokesman said.
          It would pave the way for development of ‘Mass Housing Projects’ which will be made ‘affordable’ for the general public by relaxing such norms as density and floor area ration (FAR) etc. Stringent allotment parameters have been prescribed to ensure that the projects are executed early, and the benefits reach the intended beneficiaries at a fast pace.
          Giving broad outlines of the policy, the spokesman said that it would seek to encourage planning and completion of ‘Mass Group Housing Projects’ within a ‘targeted time-frame’ to ensure increased supply of ‘affordable houses’ to the deserving. The allotment of flats shall be done by a committee comprising designated representatives of government departments/agencies which will follow the transparent procedure prescribed in the policy.
          Any project for which licence is granted under the present policy cannot be converted into normal group housing colony, irrespective of whether or not the case falls within the 20 per cent residential sector area limit prescribed for group housing projects.
          The spokesman said that all projects under the policy shall be required to be necessarily completed within four years from the approval of the building plans, or grant of environmental clearance, whichever is later. The licences shall not be renewed beyond the four-year period from the date of commencement of the project.
          Applications received under the policy, along with a comprehensive ‘Project Report’, shall be examined on merits but weightage will be given to the projects received early though first-come-first-served shall not be the criteria for allowing such projects. The applications, complete in all respects and received in a specific quarter (Jan-Mar; Apr-Jun; Jul-Sep; Oct-Dec) after the policy comes into effect, shall be examined as a bunch on the basis of the laid down criterion.
          The site for any such project, the spokesman said, should derive access either from the sector road, including service road along sector road, or from the proposed 24m or 18m wide sectoral plan road. Existing approach to the site should not be less than 22-foot wide. The minimum and maximum area for such projects shall be five acres and 15 acres, respectively, irrespective of the development plan where such project is proposed.
          The apartments are meant to be low-cost to ensure affordability for the lower-income strata of the population. The carpet area of the apartments shall range from 28 sqm to 60 sqm. However, at least 50 per cent of the apartments shall have carpet area equal to or less than 48 sqm.
          At least 50 per cent of the parking space shall be provided in the form of covered parking space, including stilts. Only two-wheeler parking sites shall be earmarked at the rate of two two-wheeler parking bays for each flat, which shall be allotted only to the flat-owners. The parking bay of the two-wheelers shall be 0.8m x 2.5m unless otherwise specified in the zoning plan. No car parking shall be allotted to any apartment owner in such projects, the spokesman said.
          The coloniser shall be required to provide the following community sites which shall form part of the common areas and facilities as defined under the Haryana Apartment Ownership Act: One built-up community hall of not less than 2,000 sq ft; and one built-up anganwadi-cum-creche in not less than 2,000 sq ft area. No other community sites shall be required to be provided in such project.
          Any person, including his/her spouse or his/her dependent children who do not own any flat/plot in any HUDA developed colony/ sector or any licenced colony in any of the urban areas in the state, Chandigarh, NCT Delhi, and the other NCR towns shall be eligible to apply for an apartment approved under the policy.
          The spokesman said that only one application shall be made by an applicant. Any successful applicant under this policy shall not be eligible for allotment of flat under this policy elsewhere. An affidavit to this effect shall be submitted by all such applicants.
          In case the number of applications is more than 125 per cent of the total number of flats, a waiting list for about 25 per cent of the flats available for allotment, may be prepared during the draw of lots. They will be offered allotment in case some of the main allottees are not able to remove the deficiencies in their application within the prescribed period of 15 days.
          In case a successful applicant surrenders a flat, an amount of Rs 25,000 may be deducted by the coloniser. Such flats may be considered by the committee for offer to the applicants in the waiting list.  If the number of applicants is less than the total number of flats, the colonizer shall issue supplementary advertisements for the project, inviting additional applications.
          The transfer of property through execution of irrevocable General Power of Attorney (GPA) where the consideration amount has been passed to the executor or any one on his behalf, will be considered as sale of the property, the spokesman added.

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