Complexities of Governmental Affordable Housing Programmes for Urban Poor in Slums of India

In order to increase housing stock, since independence, affordable housing programmes of Government of India have evolved and refined over years based on various policies. Currently urban housing programmes have been framed on the National Urban Housing and Habitat Policy (NUHHP), 2007 which emphasized that affordable housing is to be made available to the target group i. e. urban poor households as they lack affordability. Strategy framework of the Indian Federal Government to facilitate providing housing is multiple partnerships of States with various stakeholders. Though studies apparently indicate quantitative parameters like income as the main factor for affordability in governmental programmes, there are other affordability issues also which are neither straightforward nor quantitative but subjective and require detailed scrutiny. Moreover, problems of affordable housing in India are far more complex due to diverse ground realities. So, problems are to be looked into in an integrated manner. Article emphasises that unless these qualitative and intangible issues are understood, difficulties would persist for successful implementation of housing programmes.