Centre plans rental housing in urban areas for migrants

NEW DELHI: Considering that a sizeable chunk of migrant population in cities either don't want to buy or can't purchase a house, the government has prepared a policy to increase formal rental housing stock. These will be in the form of hostels, paying guest accommodations and dormitories under the Social Rental Housing (SRH) scheme.

The scheme aimed at helping poor and labourers besides those, who come to stay in urban areas for short periods will get direct support from both Centre and state governments besides market driven rental housing . The urban housing ministry is finalizing the proposal of National Rental Housing Policy.

Sources said housing minister M Venkaiah Naidu has asked officials to firm up specific and innovative rental housing models. The proposal also provisions for issuing rental housing vouchers for the needy and identified sections of the urban poor for paying rent either in whole or in part. This would be decided by respective state governments.