Sir,
A proper house which can protect the occupants from all types of weather is a basic necessity for every individual to live a dignified and honourable life but Housing is a global problem and even in the rich countries there are people, albeit, in small number who don’t have a roof over their heads with the result that they are forced to live in the open under the blue sky.
It is sad that despite launching of ambitious schemes such as Indira Awaas Yojana,about 1.25 crore people in India are still living homeless without a shelter over their heads.There is no doubt that to provide ‘house to all, requires huge resources and meticulous planning by the Government.Yet the problem can be mitigated by taking some concrete and farsighted steps.The first and most important step in this direction should be the provision of the modern facilities of electricity, water,road connectivity, schools, colleges in rural areas to stop migration of people from villages to urban and semiurban areas in search of jobs and such facilities.Secondly, people living below poverty line should be provided subsidy/ easy housing loans at 0% interest to enable them to construct their houses in their own villages.Then there is need to lower the rate of interest on housing loans to enhance the buying capacity of middle and lower middle class.The limit of exemption of Income tax too needs to be enhanced to make it affordable for middle class buyers to buy houses.State Housing Boards/Corporations ought to undertake mega projects to provide houses especially to economically weaker sections at affordable prices.Roti,kapda aur makaan are the three basic requirements of life and Government ought to take pragmatic and farsighted steps such as levying certain percentage of housing cess on high taxpayers on the pattern of education cess to generate funds to fulfil the dream of a house of those who are too poor to afford a dwelling unit.
Yours etc…..
Ashok Sharma,
Flat No.4,Housing Colony,
Udhampur
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