The Hindu Business Line : Bengal to focus on affordable housing

The West Bengal Housing Board (WBHB) is looking to boost construction in the affordable housing segment in the State this year through the joint sector and assisted-sector companies.

The first affordable housing project ‘Trinayoni’, under the assisted sector model covering 200 units, has been taken up by the Bengal Merlin Housing Ltd at Sarsuna in South 24 Parganas, said Mr D.P. Jana, Vice-Chairman, WBHB. In joint sector companies, the Housing Board has a stake of 50 per cent, while in the assisted sector its stake is 11 per cent.

Currently, there are eight joint sector companies and nine assisted sector companies in the State.

At least 50 per cent of projects need to cater to the lower income (LIG) and middle-income groups (MIG).

The total number of affordable dwelling units to be completed under the two sectors is expected to double this year compared with the total units covered so far, Mr Jana told Business Line.

In comparison to 900 units completed, so far, for the LIG segment by the assisted and joint sector companies, 967 units would be added by the end of the year, he said.

The total number of units in the MIG segment would also go up from 2,147 units to 4,515 units this year. The new units had been under construction for the last two to three years, he added.

“We are encouraging the private developers to build affordable units ranging between a stipulated Rs 3 lakh and Rs 10.5 lakh. The private players have been asked to offset the low revenue through voluntary pricing in higher income group (HIG) segments,” Mr Jana said.

The project by Bengal Merlin, 52 per cent of which caters to the affordable segment entails a cost of Rs 20 crore and is expected to be completed by 2010.

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