M.P. Becomes First State to Provide Housing Guarantee to Weaker and Low Income Category

Bhopal.Madhya Pradesh stood first state in the country for enacting law to provide housing guarantee to the people of economically weaker and low income category of the state. The Housing Guarantee Act has been published in Madhya Pradesh Gazette on April 20.Directives to enact law regarding provision of houses on concessional rates or free residential plots to the domicile of Madhya Pradesh belonging to economically weaker section and low income category were issued by the Chief Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan. The Housing Guarantee bill presented in the assembly on last March 24 at the directives of CM Shri Chouhan was passed with out any amendments. After obtaining permission from the Governor on April 12, the bill was given the form of the Act.

According to the Act, the state government will provide housing guarantee for house or residential plots to the people of Madhya Pradesh domicile belonging to economically weaker and low income category. The minimum area of the house is fixed as 25 square meter and 45 square meter for residential plots under municipal corporations beside 60 square meter for other urban/rural areas. Authorised officer can register person found eligible in the survey to get house or residential plot. The authorised officer will be of Deputy Collector post to equivalent rankThe eligible person belonging to weaker section and low income category will be of Madhya Pradesh domicile. He should not possess house or residential plot in his/her or in the name of family members. Family will include husband-wife and minor children, but widow/ divorcee daughter, sister, daughter in law father, mother, father in law, mother in law, physically handicapped brothers/sisters will be considered part of the family. Implementation agency will comprise of Rural or Urban Local Bodies, Development Authoritis and Madhya Pradesh Housing and Infrastructure Development Board. Construction and allotment work of houses or residential plots will be carried out by the implementation agency.