Punjab to Provide Affordable Housing for All in Two Years
The Punjab State Affordable Housing Development Authority has been planned to be set up and headed by Chief Minister, Prakash Singh Badal as per a recent announcement made where he discussed his aims of providing “affordable housing for all” in the coming two years.
Housing Development Authority:
In a cabinet meeting held recently and headed by Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal, the decision for setting up the Punjab State Affordable Housing Development Authority was announced. The committee would be headed by the CM himself and they would make sure that they are able to provide “affordable housing for all” in a span of coming two years.
The proposed committee would comprise of the Deputy Chief Minister, Housing and Urban Development Minister, Local Government Minister, Finance Minister, Labour and Employment Minister, Rural development Minister and Chief Secretary as its members while Secretary Housing and Urban Development as its Member Secretary.
Housing for all:
The objective for providing housing for all has been aimed at the Economically Weaker Sections of society (EWS) who belong to the Lower Income Group (LIG) and also include several other vulnerable sections of society.
Among these other vulnerable sections of the society, include scheduled castes, minorities, senior citizens, backward classes and physically challenged persons. Including all categories of people under this welfare-centric project will ensure that no one is left shelter-less in this project.
Project Plans:
- The authority has planned to construct around one lakh dwelling units in the state in the coming two years.
- The Cabinet has approved the proposal to entrust the necessary work for the project to 118 posts of Civil Judge (junior division) – cum Judicial Magistrate to the Punjab and Haryana High Court Committee after taking these posts out of the purview of the Punjab Public Service Commission.
- The rate of taxes will be slashed from the present rate of 13% VAT and 10 % surcharge to 5.5 % plus an additional 10% surcharge. This is expected to provide relief to the trade of heavy machinery including cranes and earth moving equipment in the state.
A Forensic Science Lab is to be set up in Bathinda, Ludhiana and Jalandhar as approved by the Cabinet.
Source: Business Standard
Affordable Housing Development Authority, Chief minister, Economically Weaker Sections of society, EWS, Haryana High Court Committee, Lower income group, Prakash Singh Badal, welfare-centric project
