Page 12 - HUDCO-SHELTER-APR21

THEME PAPER

between planned /developed has also brought in large substantial area of public and
and raw land to the authority number of promoters and private land remains unused or
undertaking development. developers to create large stock locked in inefficient uses. The
Money thus raised, is used for of affordable housing in urban state government of Punjab has
making payment for the land areas. Pradhan Mantri Awas launched a Scheme called
retained by Authority in the Yojana-Housing for All-Urban 'Optimum Utilization of Vacant
shape of roads, open spaces, (PMAY-HfA-Urban), with four Government Lands (OUVGL)',
education, healthcare and verticals, also calls for where in the unused and
commercial use besides meeting involvement of private sector on underused potential public
the cost of development and large scale, in creating affordable lands were identified, planned,
making provision of the housing. developed and disposed off for
infrastructure and services Valuing Public-Private Partner- housing and commercial
defined in the scheme. Scheme ship (PPP) purposes. This has not only
does not involve any acquisition generated resources for the state
The public and private sectors
of land and financial liability on for infrastructure development
need to join hands to provide
the part of the Authority. These but also brought a considerable
shelter for the urban poor. State
schemes help in bringing large amount of derelict land into the
of West Bengal has taken a lead
amount of potential land falling urban market. The Scheme offers
by floating a number of joint
on the urban fringe into the land enormous potential for
venture companies between
market. Gujarat Town Planning regenerating obsolete and
West Bengal Housing Board and
Act provides for earmarking 5 unused urban land for meeting
reputed private sector
percent of the area of scheme for the housing needs of the poor.
companies like Peerless Group,
housing the poor. While Land Punishing Landowners by
Ambuja Cement, etc. Under
Pooling and Redistribution Taxing Vacant Urban Land and
these Joint Ventures (JVs), land is
scheme is popular in India, it has Taxing Vacant Houses
made available by the West
been extensively used in Asian
Bengal Housing Board, whereas Vacant land is known to make
countries like Japan, Korea and
construction is done by the land market both expensive and
Taiwan for sourcing land to meet
private developers. The share inefficient besides making city
the needs of both urban
holding pa ern remains 51% for development irrational and
development and creating large
the private developer whereas lopsided. In order to bring this
housing stock.
Housing Board share is placed at land into the market and to
Appropriately Valuing and 49%. Under the JV, a large minimize land speculation, it
Supporting Private Sector number of houses have been would be desirable to levy tax
Considering the limitations of provided to LIG/EWS categories on such vacant land/houses.
the public sector, encouraging at subsidized rates. PPP has also Taxing vacant urban land would
and involving private sector in been suggested as a strategy serve dual purpose of not only
large-scale assembly, planning, under the PMAY, for creating bringing vacant land into the
development and creating affordable housing to meet the urban market but would also
adequate housing stock, to target of housing for all by 2022. generate resource, which can be
supplement the efforts of public Focusing on Brown Field utilized for funding the housing
agencies would be vital. Recent Development for the poor.
launch of affordable housing Rationalizing Legal Framework
In most urban centres,
scheme by Government of India

10 HUDCO-HSMI Publication