Government directs states to adopt new technologies

The government has directed states and Union territories to adopt 16 alternate innovative technologies for fast and better construction of homes under the affordable housing in partnership (AHP) and in-situ slum rehabilitation (ISSR) schemes. It also proposes to launch the global housing construction technology challenge (GHCTC) to globally identify best technologies which are suitable for mass housing. "States/UTs shall adopt 16 alternate innovative modern, sustainable, green and disaster resistant technologies that have been identified...," the housing ministry said in a release today. Introducing seven strategies to accelerate implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna (Urban), the ministry on Wednesday asked states and Union territories to implement necessary land reforms to ensure that beneficiaries have valid land document, and put in place a single-window time bound clearance system for layout approvals and building permissions. It has also asked states to prepare a land database to ensure availability of land for affordable housing. "States/UTs may converge their states policies with new 8 PPP models and utilize suitably to promote affordable housing," the ministry said. While asking states to provide incentives like additional floor area ratio (FAR) and transferable development rights (TDR) to make the ISSR projects viable, the ministry also asked them to provide rental accommodation to the slum dwellers while resettling them in ISSR projects. It has also directed states to share their respective road map with respect to slum redevelopment projects under ISSR. To promote its flagship credit linked subsidy scheme (CLSS), the government has asked states to target teachers, Anganwadi workers, Paramilitary forces, state police departments, etc. The suggestions were derived from a day-long National Workshop on Accelerating Implementation of Urban Missions: PMAY(Urban) and Swachh Bharat mission(Urban) that was conducted here last Friday.