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Key Points

Housing Minister Manohar Lal Khattar announced the Centre's plan to work with states on reducing land prices specifically for affordable housing projects. He intends to convene a meeting of state housing ministers to build consensus on this critical issue. The minister emphasized that while land is a state subject, the Centre will persuade states to relax pricing for PMAY schemes. Additionally, he revealed that India's metro network is expected to expand to 1,500 km in the next 4-5 years.

Key Points: Khattar Announces Centre Push for Lower Land Prices Affordable Housing

  • Centre to consult states on affordable land pricing mechanism
  • Meeting planned with state housing ministers for consensus
  • Policy reforms to accelerate housing activity nationwide
  • Developers urged to build on suitable sites not substandard locations
2 min read

Centre to persuade states to lower land prices for affordable housing: Manohar Lal Khattar

Housing Minister Manohar Lal Khattar reveals plan to persuade states to reduce land costs for PMAY projects, aiming to boost nationwide affordable housing construction.

"The Centre... will evolve a mechanism to ensure that land prices for affordable housing projects are kept relatively lower - Manohar Lal Khattar"

New Delhi, August 31

The Centre, in consultation with the states, will evolve a mechanism to ensure that land prices for affordable housing projects are kept relatively lower than those for other housing segments, particularly under the Prime Minister Awas Yojana (PMAY), said Manohar Lal Khattar, Minister of Housing & Urban Affairs.

New Delhi [India], August 31 (ANI): The Centre, in consultation with the states, will evolve a mechanism to ensure that land prices for affordable housing projects are kept relatively lower than those for other housing segments, particularly under the Prime Minister Awas Yojana (PMAY), said Manohar Lal Khattar, Minister of Housing & Urban Affairs.

Speaking at the valedictory session of the 17th NAREDCO National Convention, Manohar Lal announced his intent to convene a meeting of state housing ministers and senior policymakers to push for consensus on affordable land pricing.

While he did not specify a timeline, he confirmed that such discussions would be accompanied by broader reforms aimed at accelerating housing activity nationwide.

The Minister, however, did not specify a timeline for the meeting, only assuring that such a consultation would take place.

He also noted that additional policy reforms would be initiated with relevant stakeholders at both the Central and state levels to spur housing activities across the country.

In the meantime, Manohar Lal urged members of NAREDCO to raise this matter with state-level policymakers, since land is primarily a state subject and the Centre has limited jurisdiction except to persuade states to relax land prices for affordable housing.

He further requested that once relaxed land prices are introduced, developers must ensure that affordable housing units are constructed at suitable sites. Choosing substandard locations, he cautioned, could dilute the credibility of the real estate sector.

The Minister added that states implementing best practices in housing should serve as role models, with a mechanism developed to replicate these practices across the country for holistic real estate growth.

On the subject of metro expansion, the Minister informed that in the next 4-5 years, India's metro rail network is expected to expand to nearly 1,500 km, up from the current 1,036 km. He stressed the government's focus on ensuring last-mile connectivity so that passengers can travel seamlessly and without inconvenience.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Good initiative but implementation is key. State governments often have different priorities and land is a major revenue source for them. Hope they don't just pay lip service to this idea.
A
Aditya G
Metro expansion to 1500km is fantastic! But along with affordable housing, we need better connectivity. What's the use of cheap housing if it takes 3 hours to reach workplace? Good that minister mentioned last-mile connectivity.
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Sarah B
As someone working in urban development, I appreciate the holistic approach. Replicating best practices across states makes sense - why reinvent the wheel when some states like Tamil Nadu have good affordable housing models?
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Nikhil C
Hope they don't compromise on quality and location. The minister is right - building affordable housing in remote areas without infrastructure defeats the purpose. Need balanced development! 🏗️
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Kavya N
This is much needed for young professionals like me who want to buy first home. But please announce timeline - "will convene meeting" sounds vague. We need concrete action plans with deadlines.

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